Caring for your Christmas Tree

Proper care after you buy your tree is very essential to keep your tree looking great through the season.

1. Store your Christmas tree in water in a cool, shady place outdoors until you are ready to bring it indoors. Cut a quarter inch off the trunk before placing it in water.

2. A few hours after a tree is cut, the trunk seals itself off and water can't pass through, so before you bring your tree inside, use a small handsaw to take an additional 2 inches off the base.

3. Use one quart of water for every inch of diameter of the trunk and replenish frequently. Make it a habit of checking the water level daily.

4. Keep the tree away from heat sources like radiators, fireplaces, TV sets, computers etc.

5. Test electrical devices like lights and other decorations before placing them on the tree.

6. For watering the tree, plain water works just great, but you can also choose to use an inexpensive commercial tree additive sold at tree lots and nurseries to keep your tree fresh longer.

7. If left out of water for more than six hours, a sap seal will form, which prevents water absorption. If this happens, recut.