Tree stinks of turnips

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

It's obviously rotting in the water holder it's sitting in. Or the water has gone rancid. But no way to get it out as there are too many branches in the way. I thought I could suction it out with a (rather appropriate) turkey baster but couldn't angle it right.

The most infuriating thing is no other bugger in the house can smell it (they are all men and nose blind). I am NOT imagining it, I just have had an annoyingly sensitive sense of smell ever since having the kids (who are now teens). DH is moaning cos I've lit a Christmas candle to mask it. I told him "well, it'll be ok cos apparently none of you should be able to smell it!"

This happens every year after it's been up a couple of weeks. Am I doing something wrong? Why the stench?

Maybe people have been farting on it after eating 'nips?

No, DH's farts have smelled like Rustlers burgers the last few days, I would know the difference.

I'm serious, though. It's putting me off getting another real tree next year. But I know I'll forget about the smell again by the time next Christmas comes round. I just want to know if there's anything I can add to the water to stop it stinking without killing it off quicker. It's lasting very well.

I swore I'd never again get a real tree, after the 'off' smell of the last one.

If the water is stagnant then the tree isnt taking up water for whatever reason. Ours has been up since 1st December and is drying out but still taking up about a quarter pint of water every day or so. Can you push kitchen towel down the container and try and soak up the water?

We have had this with ours this year unfortunately! Thanks to some old advice on here we managed to suck the water out and refill with fresh water mixed with a smell amount of bleach. Worked a treat and the smell went although it is creeping back a bit now! Couldn't get a turkey blaster in to get the water out but an empty fruit shoot bottle did the trick !

Ooh the kitchen towel idea might work. I’ll try that, thanks. I’m wondering if DH put too much water in all in one go at first rather than a smaller amount every few days.

Great thread title!

Sorry may be being a bit dim here, but it’s past Christmas why not just stick it outside of the smell is an issue?