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How to Keep a Real Christmas Tree Alive Longer!

Are you trying to keep a real Christmas tree alive as long as possible? It’s necessary for safety and also so you can enjoy your tree all season long!

Every year we bundle up and head out to the local tree farm to pick out a great real Christmas tree to put up in our house.  Unfortunately, as wonderful as they smell, and as homey as they feel they often die rather quickly. 

Today I’m sharing some great tips on How To Keep A Real Christmas Tree Alive Longer. Not only will you be able to get your tree earlier and keep it through the holiday season, you’ll find yourself enjoying the aroma and beauty more throughout the holiday season.

pin showing images of a real Christmas tree with title across the middle

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What is it important to keep an evergreen tree alive?

Although evergreen trees will stay pretty nice looking even for a short time after they have died, it is important to keep them watered, healthy, and alive while they are decorated.

Even energy efficient and small lights on the tree add warmth and a potential for fires. You want to keep your tree healthy and moist so that it’s not a fire hazard in your home!

Another reason to keep Christmas trees alive longer is so that they smell nice, don’t shed as many needles, and look nice until you are ready to take them out for the year.

close up of an evergreen tree

Tools for keeping your tree alive and well throughout the Christmas season:

If this is the first year you will be having a live tree you might be wondering what it will take to keep the tree looking great and alive all season long. It’s not complicated, I promise!

Here are some of the best tools that I would personally recommend for keeping your tree alive as long as possible. Some of these items will also help with the upkeep and maintenance required when brining in a live tree for the holiday season!

  • Live Tree Stand With Large Water Capacity
  • Miracle Gro For Christmas Trees
  • Christmas Tree Watering Funnel
  • Tree Shears
  • Heavy Duty Floor Mat / Protector for Christmas Trees
  • Stick Vac For Christmas Tree Needles

Tips and Tricks For Keeping a Real Christmas Tree Alive:

These are some of the best ways that I’ve found to keep a real tree alive longer. Over the years I’ve tried so many things to make sure that our trees last as long as possible. In some areas I know they are very expensive as well so it’s important to feel like you can enjoy your Christmas tree for as long as possible!

Trim The Trunk When You Get Home

If you are picking up a tree that was cut some time before you purchased it, you need to trim an inch or so off the bottom of the trunk when you get it home.

This gets rid of any dead trunk as well as opens up the tree to absorb more moisture when you place it in the stand. This will freshen it up and keep it lively longer.

If your tree is not fresh cut, as in, you picked it out and they cut it down that same day, you won’t want to skip this important first step. It helps the tree be able to absorb water.

When they are cut down and sit in a truck or on a lot for quite awhile they get a dried out sort of callous on the bottom of the trunk. A fresh cut will make the tree more capable of soaking up the necessary water to keep it healthy and thriving throughout the Christmas season.

How to keep a real Christmas tree alive longer

An Aspirin In The Water

Every time you add water to the stand, make sure to drop an aspirin in too. While some may think it an old wives tale, it has worked for many people to help plant life of all kinds to last longer.

You can also use things like tree saver and the Miracle Gro listed above to help keep needle shedding to a minimum. Yes sure to ask when buying your tree if they’ve been shaken or if you go to a place that lets you choose your own, be sure they shake it after it’s cut.

Shaking the tree before it comes into the house will help get off any dead or loose needles and it will reduce the amount that end up all over your floors throughout the season!

Trim Away Dead Branches

Dead branches not only make it look less than pretty, but will make the whole tree feel worse. Trim away any dead or dying branches that are sucking moisture and food from the tree. This helps it look better and extends the life of the tree.

Many tree places will do this for you but you can also do some final trimming and shaping when you get your tree home, set up and ready for decorations. It will help to do it all at once in the beginning to avoid extra dropped needles, broken branches, etc. as the holiday season wears on!

Keep Your Tree Away From Heat Sources

Don’t place your tree near vents, stoves or heat sources. Not only is it a fire hazard, the warm dry air can zap moisture from the tree making it die and dry out quicker.

This includes space heaters, stoves, fireplaces, baseboard heating, etc. Try and keep your tree away from anything that might make it warm and dry even if there is no open flames involved!

This year you can use a few simple tricks above to help keep your real Christmas tree alive longer. Not only will your home be filled with the wonderful smell of fresh pine or fir, you’ll have a beautiful decoration that lasts through the holidays. Let this year be the most beautiful tree year yet.

another close up of an evergreen tree

Keep Your Tree Watered

This one should go without saying but in case you aren’t aware, live trees need kind of a lot of water. So make sure you keep your tree watered!

If your home is particularly dry keep a closer eye on your water and be sure to add extra water so that it stays hydrated and looking lovely all season long.

Looking for more holiday content?

Check out these holiday posts and enjoy this festive season to the fullest!

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6 Comments

  1. S. Purcell says:

    WARNING – DO NOT USE ASPIRIN IF YOU HAVE A CAT – ASPIRIN IS POISON TO CATS, AND THEY WILL DRINK THE WATER FROM YOUR TREE STAND.

    1. @S. Purcell,
      Wow Thank you for saying that. We have had a real tree for 30 years and I knew about all but the aspirin I was saying we have to do that. Glad you took the time to comment and glad I read it. You might have saved our 3 cats.
      THANK YOU
      Have a Blessed Christmas
      Donna

  2. Great tips for helping keep the Christmas tree alive. I haven’t heard the one about aspirin. Cool idea! Thank you for linking up with us at the #HomeMattersParty – hope to see you again this Friday!

  3. Thank you for the tip, I did not know this! Have a great week!