A live Christmas tree would seem to bea fine projectfor somebody with a brown thumb.
You only have to tend it for a month, and then itll get chucked to the curb.
Unfortunately, bogus hacks abound that will actually make your treemorelikely to lose their needles.
Lets separate the myths from the actual good advice.
Takethis study, for example.
All of the additives resulted in the branches losingmoreneedles than if they had just been in plain water.
Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk doesnotimprove water uptake, the National Christmas Tree Associationsays.
What to do instead?
Dont half-ass the watering
Christmas trees need alotof water.
Before you even put the tree in the stand, figure out whether the stand can even hold enough.
This can vary from tree to tree, of course.
confirm to check your tree at least twice a day to be sure it has plenty of water.
Just dont let the tree dry out.
The easiest way to check is to grab a branch and pull your hand toward you.
The needles should stay firmly attached to the tree, and not come offen massein your hand.
you’re free to also try bending a needle to see if it breaks.
The needles on pine trees shouldnt break at all.
Finally, pick the tree up and tap the trunk on the ground a few times.
But if still-green needles are raining down, thats not a tree that will last.
