Friday, December 9, 2016

How to keep your Christmas tree fresh longer

Cutting down and bringing a live Christmas tree home is one of the most enjoyable family Christmas activities. Doing so fills your home with the fresh scent of pine. It brings an old fashioned feel to your celebration. Unfortunately, live Christmas trees shed if not properly cared for. They can also be a fire hazard. Keeping your Christmas tree fresh will lessen the chance of it igniting or making a mess out of your home. Help keep your home safe from fire by following these directions for keeping your Christmas tree fresh longer.

Before leaving to cut or choose your Christmas tree, mix up a tree preservative.

Add the following ingredients to a five gallon bucket:

*2 cups corn syrup
*2 cups chlorine bleach
*¼ cup Borax
*1 tsp. Epsom Salts
*2 gallons hot water

Mix all ingredients together. Once the preservative is ready, cover the bucket to keep out pets and children. Prepare an area for the initial soaking by placing the bucket on waterproof tarps near a wall that can support the weight of the tree.

Upon arriving home with your tree, you'll need to make a fresh cut to help the tree absorb more preservative. This is done by sawing in a slightly slanted line across the bottom of the trunk. Keep in mind that the tree will have to be placed in a tree stand when making your cut. Now place the cut tree in the bucket of tree preservative for 6-8 hours. This gives it a nutritional boost which will be supplemented by daily watering.

After the tree has soaked for 6-8 hours, remove it from the bucket of solution. Do not discard the remaining tree preservative. Transfer it to a covered container instead. Place the tree in a Christmas tree stand with a water reservoir. Tighten the tree until it is in a straight upright position. Fill the water reservoir with Christmas tree preservative on a daily basis until the tree is ready to be removed for recycling.

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