How To Maintain Your Real Christmas Tree

Getting a real Christmas tree home and setting it up is a festive feeling like no other, but don’t forget they need continuous tender loving care to maintain their healthy green glow. Unlike artificial Christmas trees, real trees require more than just decorating. Take your eyes off the newest addition to your household and you run the risk of it looking tired before the Christmas fun has even begun. Most can last up to five weeks or more, but you’ll have to be at your A game to keep it looking fresh and festively glowing - here are some tips to help.

Your best shot at maintaining a healthy Christmas tree actually begins right before you even pay for one. When it comes to picking a real tree, keep these factors in mind when browsing:

• Look out for healthy green varieties with the fewest brown needles.
• Go for a tree that is being kept in a shady location over a sunny spot.
• Move your arm through a few branches to check their health. They should feel flexible and the needles shouldn’t be falling off easily.
• If possible, carefully raise the tree a few inches and then drop it to the ground (teamwork might be needed for this one). If it is healthy, very few needles should fall off, but don’t worry if a few brown ones do.

Keep your tree well-watered as too little will mean resin forms, blocking the tree from absorbing water and causing it to dry out quicker. A little reminder note on the fridge might be helpful to remember to keep the real Christmas tree watered if you’re worried about forgetting to do this. The two important rules to remember when watering your tree are:

• Around a litre for every inch of the trunk's diameter.
  
• Check the daily water level - it should always cover the end of the trunk. Refill it if it doesn’t.

A natural Christmas tree next to a beautiful fireplace is a timeless festive look, but bear in mind that excess heat will dry your tree out quicker. So be wary of radiators or any other areas of your home that get particularly warm when picking the location of your tree. As much as you might have your heart set on a particular location at home, it’s important to pick a dry place to maintain the beautiful, fresh glow which is what makes having a real Christmas tree so charming.

It’s always sad when Christmas comes to an end, but don’t let that stop you from taking your tree down before it dries out and becomes tired. The longer you leave it, the more dead pine needles will cover your floor, making much more of a mess which will mean more time tidying up and less time relaxing. 

Remember, most real Christmas trees last for five weeks or more with the proper care. It’s quite common to take down the tree no later than the 5th January (Twelfth Night - the twelfth day after Christmas marks the end of the festive season), so if your tree is well looked after with our tips, it should last until the 5th January.

Now you have all the info you need to look after one, you’re all prepped to pick one. Check out our collection of real Christmas trees at Robert Dyas, ranging from 5ft to 8ft, you should be able to find the perfect size for your chosen location at home.