O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
How lovely are thy branches!
They are indeed. They hold your beautiful ornaments and lights to fill your home with the magic of the season. Your tree is often a focal point in your home where you and your family gather to exchange stories, gifts and loving sentiment. You want to preserve this special symbol of the season by taking proper care of real trees.
Once you get your tree home, pick a good spot where it will not be in too much sunlight or near a source of heat. You don’t want to dry it out. And if your home or certain rooms tend to be dry, you can add a humidifier to add moisture and help keep the tree from drying out.
Be sure to give your tree plenty of water. Check the water daily. It should always cover the cut end of the trunk. Refill as needed.
Put on a sweater or grab a warm throw while you lounge so you can lower the temperature in the room where you put up your tree. It can help slow down the drying process.
While a Christmas tree provides a beautiful feeling of sentiment you may not want to part with, it is best to take your tree down before it dries out. Otherwise you will have a mess of dead pine needles to deal with.
Once you have decided to say, “good-bye,” consider your options for discarding the tree. You can call your city or township to learn what disposal options are available or you can start a new compost pile, recycle it or turn it into mulch yourself.