Homeschool Garden Club - Top 10 Tips for Caring for Real Christmas Trees

If you are reading this, then like many of the Homeschool Garden Club you have picked a real Christmas tree. Did you know that the average Christmas tree will have been growing between 5 and 10 years before being sold - so they deserve to be looked after while they are in your home. The more you look after it, the less needle drop and this means less cleaning up - and we like that!

Here at the Orchard Training Garden Club we have explored some ways to keep your Christmas tree looking beautiful throughout the festive season. With the advice from Billy and Joe, here is what we have come up with to help you get the most of your tree for longer:

1. If you have a stand that holds water that is best. If it doesn't get one that does!

2. Before you bring your tree inside cut of about 3 cm off the base of the tree.

3. if your tree is very full - see if you can take a few branches out, cut them back to the trunk. This will mean tree will need a little less water.

4. Put the tree in a bucket of water and give it a good drink.

5. Think doubt where you tree is going to go. Christmas trees dry out in very hot rooms and near radiators. The hotter the area is the quicker the drying out is and this will make the needles will drop quicker.

6. You will need to check there is enough water in the stand each day. So, think about how you can access the stand without knocking the tree over.

7. Put an aspirin in to the water - this is said to help with the needle drop. Then make sure no pets can drink this source of water.

8. Put the tree in the stand a few hours before you are going to decorate it, to allow the branches to settle in to their natural postion.

9. Check the lights first, then put them on the tree before the rest decorations this will mean less disturbance for the tree. Don't forget to turn the lights off when you are not in the room, as the light do produce heat which adds to the drying out.

After Christmas, take your decorations and lights off with care to prevent too many needles falling every where. Remove the tree carefully from the house so you don't get a pathway of needles all the way to the garden.

Now we need to talk about what happens next. Please do dispose of the tree responsibly and in an environmentally friendly way. Do check if your council offers a recycling service or if they recycle them at the local centre. If we can dry them out we can use them next year for out wood work.