Good Lifestyle

Unless you go for this look by Charlie Brown, there is a good chance that you want a large, delicious Christmas tree, feels well and lasts the whole season of the holidays. But too often, the persistent The fact that we attach to the roof of our car is quickly dry, brown and almost dead shortly after having returned home. Fortunately, the experts of the plants and the house say that there are simple things that you can avoid doing to get the conifer of your dreams. Continue to read to find out more about the biggest mistakes you make that kill your Christmas tree.

Read this then: Never buy a Christmas tree that looks like that, warn the experts .

The best absolute way to get a Christmas tree is to cut it yourself in a farm (or to run a trees seller for you if you are not comfortable with the saw). "This guarantees that you will start with the tree as cool as possible," said Lindsay Pangborn , the Gardening expert for Bloomscape .

If you have to opt for a pre-cut tree, Pangborn recommends finding one that has been cut in the past few days. Of course, many tree sellers may not have this information for you. In this case, "try to find one with bright green needles which are slightly sticky to the touch", advises Jen Stark , founder of the blog Good DIY . "If you are able to test it, give the tree a soft shake and see how many needles fall. If too many people stand out, then the tree is probably not fresh and will not last very long. ""

For most of us, the difficult part is to link the tree at the top of the car and drag it into the house, but the work does not stop there.

"A tree that has been cut for more than several hours must have the lower half-pump of the coupe chest before placing it in a tree support with water," explains Vladan Nikolic , founder of Interior factory blog Mr. HomePlant. "The reason is, once a tree is cut and exposed to air, after a while, the cutting cells have become unable to take water. Once you have overlapped the trunk, He is able to resume water. "

Then, according to Pangborn, "you will want to place it immediately in the water to prevent the cutting cut with the sap of the tree, which will prevent water absorption."

It is also a good idea to prealct the temperature of the room in which you will put the tree. "Christmas trees can suffer from shock when displaced from cold exterior temperatures in a hot house, so lower the heating to help your tree adapt to its new environment," explains Kelly Martin , founder of Gal's urban garden .

The height of your tree and its trunk thickness should dictate the support you use. If the support is too small, you may have to shave part of the trunk to adapt it, which, according to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), is a large non-no: "The outer layers of wood are the most effective in Take water and should not be deleted. ""

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Of course, you know your Christmas tree needs water, but you may not know how a lot it's necessary. According to the NCTA, the general rule is a liter per thumb in diameter of rod (your support should have the capacity to maintain this).

The group also says to check the stand once a day to ensure that the water did not go under the base of the tree. "With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even if the base of the tree is no longer overwhelmed in the water," they explain.

But as Pangborn notes, during the first week, your tree can have an additional thirst and need its water overcome once or twice a day. "If the water falls under the trunk, there is a good chance that the sap will seal the end and your tree dries faster," she explains.

Martin says that the use of lukewarm water will keep your tree fresher longer. "Hot water stops the hardening of the sap, so it is easier for the tree to absorb water," she adds.

And remember that everything you need is old-fashioned tap water to keep your tree healthy. "Nowadays, additives like honey and lemon juice are marketed as" life cans "for Christmas trees," notes Brian Campbell ,, Founder in Waterfilterguru . "However, there is no scientific result to support these claims."

"If at one point the tree short of water, the injury at the bottom of the trunk will begin to heal and the tree will not be able to absorb water," explains Nikolic, who adds that, in this Case, you will have to re-cut a half-butce from the bottom of the trunk.

Of all errors, experts generally see, allowing the heat to dry it is the superior way of people kills their Christmas trees. "The trees lose water through pores called stomates located on the underside of the leaves," explains Kevin Huang , founder and CEO of Ambient house . "In conifers, the stomates are deeply in the pine needle, so they do not quickly lose water, [but] when the air is very dry, they will always lose water faster than habit."

Usually this happens because the trees are placed alongside heating elements such as fireplaces or radiators. But it can also happen if the room is too hot or gets a quantity greater than the direct sunlight. If the latter is the problem, Martin suggests closing the curtains when the sun is at its peak. And Kevin Busch , vice-president of operations for Mr. Handyman , says "it is also important to keep your thermostat at a temperature of 69 degrees or less to keep your tree happy."

Using a humidifier to add humidity to the room is a good way to counter these effects, according to Huang. You can also use a spray bottle for misty the branches directly.

Be that as it may, whether hot air or fresh, the vents will cause your tree drying by pulling the humidity of the needles, explains Pangborn.

"If it is inevitable, keep an extra-ferry eye on the water level in the tank because the tree will probably use water faster," she advises.

Read this then: It's the worst time to buy a Christmas tree, say the experts .

"Avoid overloading your tree with too many decorations, as it can cause too much weight and stretch the branches", note Kamil Kowalski , president of Limakway remodeling . AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

If you have heavier ornaments, place them on the lower branches to prevent the tree from becoming the top and potentially stunning it.

Some Christmas lights, especially older versions, give off a lot of warmth, and we know what heat does to a tree. The safest bet is perhaps to use LED lights fed by battery "which have no risk of flame associated with them," notes Stark. Many of these types of lights can also be adjusted on a timer, which makes them turn off before bed very practical.

You also don't want to use too many lights because it becomes a risk of fire. "The basic rule is the use of a bit of lights for each foot of your Christmas tree," explains Robert Johnson , the main director of merchandising at Coastal devices . "An average strand has 150 to 200 lights. For example, you can use six medium strands or 600 to 1200 lights for a six -foot Christmas tree." However, it is always advisable to read the safety instructions on the lights you buy.

Another advice that Johnson shares to reduce the risk of fire is not to use the same electrical outlet that is used for a television or other domestic devices, as it can cause power overload.