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Original poster

Real Christmas trees

56 replies

StillWantingADog · 01/12/2023 07:56

Last year we lost our Christmas tree and all decs in a fire. Long sad story. So we started from scratch. Bought a real tree for the first time from a local farm. A bit clueless but listening to instructions from the farm we chopped an inch off the bottom as suggested, put it up first weekend of December, watered it lots (it was very thirsty!) and it was just lovely, stayed up until the 6th jan and it was still in good shape, barely lost any needles.

So after last year’s success we popped along to the farm last weekend and got another - it’s been sitting in the conservatory ever since (did this last year as well), the kids want to put it up this weekend.

But RL friends and people on Msnet are telling me that it’s FAR too early to put up a real Christmas tree, it’ll lose all its needles and look really twiggy by Christmas etc. DH says “ah, it’s because they’re not looking after it properly” (I.e.
not watering it) and reckons ours will be fine again this year.

So people who are experienced at real trees, is my dh right or we we just exceptionally lucky last year? The farm did give us their usual marketing speed about “only sourcing the very best trees” etc. we paid £50 for a six foot tree, no idea what the going rate is.

OP posts:
Ladybirdbookworm · 01/12/2023 12:43

Can anyone recommend a tree that has that lovely Christmas tree smell.
I couldn’t find one last year and I’m about to start looking again.

Drhow · 01/12/2023 13:39

Always have a real tree and always put it up on the 1st. Only time it’s been bare and horrid by Christmas was when I skimped and bought one from a supermarket, never repeated that mistake. If you buy a decent quality one and keep it watered, it will be fine.

Kinsters · 01/12/2023 15:01

I live in Malaysia where it's a balmy 29°C-35° year round. We've had a real Christmas tree the last two years and they've been great! I put ice cubes in the water each day but not sure it's needed as we were away for 2 weeks over Christmas last year and came back to our tree still looking good despite no water during that time.

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thecatsthecats · 01/12/2023 15:20

We get a Lidl tree for £17.99, and feed it a 2l bottle of lemonade through the month.

Keeps needles just fine, and this year's is a beaut.

Honeyroar · 01/12/2023 15:23

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 01/12/2023 08:13

Can I ask when you get the potted trees and you manage to keep them alive do you just leave them in the pot outside for next year or repot them to give them more room to grow?

We repot every couple of years. (I find ours don’t like coming back inside, so we put them outside the front window with lights and decorations).

Girlattheback · 01/12/2023 15:27

bellac11 · 01/12/2023 11:06

Ive always had a real tree since moving to my own home years ago.

Ive never had a major problem with needles, yes you need to hoover them up (sweeping is better, dont want to clog the hoover bag), but I find this is more when you take it down, as you pull things off it and try to get it out the door the needles go everywhere
We water ours in the little resevoir and also its quite near the wood burner, so not the best place for it but at least it knows where its going to end up in a couple of years once the wood is seasoned!!

If you cover the tree in an old duvet cover to take it outside you won’t get needles everywhere.

UncleHerbie · 01/12/2023 15:31

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 01/12/2023 08:13

Can I ask when you get the potted trees and you manage to keep them alive do you just leave them in the pot outside for next year or repot them to give them more room to grow?

This will be our real tree’s 5th Christmas. We don’t bring it in until 23/12 or Christmas Eve. It barely sheds any needles and is watered regularly when inside. Looks pretty in the spring with the regrowth

Real Christmas trees
beanii · 02/12/2023 17:00

Should be fine as long as you keep it away from heat and look after it like you did last year.

Bookkeepermum · 02/12/2023 17:15

It's already sat in water so what difference does it make sat in water in your lounge with baubles on?
Your husband is right, as long as you water it, keep it away from radiators ect, it will be absolutely fine.

Mirabai · 02/12/2023 17:18

Never had a problem keeping needles on a tree that long - wedge it in a bucket with bricks and water in (and top up with water) or buy one of those custom tree stands with a water trough. It should be fine.

Lopil · 02/12/2023 17:21

I don’t do real ones anymore, but used to buy one for years on the first of December and put it up, it always lasted with minimal needle drop, just with the big standard stuff of cutting off the bottom and making sure it had water.

TheLurpackYears · 02/12/2023 17:41

I buy fresh ones. I put this year's up today and it wasn't as heavy as I expected. A really fresh tree is seriously heavy and will be much lighter when it comes down.
I've always popped a duvet cover over and tied it around the trunk before taking it down, then it's contained for taking to the tip.

Coffeeismyfriend1 · 03/12/2023 09:06

Usually get ours around now since we had the kids (as they are always desperate to get the tree up) and it lasts until Jan. We make sure we add water regularly. A tip we got a few years ago was to add a bit of sugar to the water (or use cheap lemonade)

The farm we got ours from trim the trunk as they net it to reopen the pores to help it take on water and suggest getting it into water within 2 hours so we got home, had a quick lunch then got it up on the stand with water. If you’ve had it since last week maybe trim a bit off the bottom if you can before you pop into water.

EarthMamaLee · 03/12/2023 11:22

We always get ours the first weekend of December and it always lasts until after Christmas

mindutopia · 03/12/2023 12:35

We’ve always had a real tree and always get it the first weekend of December (got ours yesterday). It always lasts just fine. We usually take it down in early January but sometimes it’s not been til end of January. Admittedly, it is losing some needles by then, but it’s one of the proper old school trees not the no drop nordman firs. I agree with your Dh, people aren’t taking care of them properly or have put them next to the radiator if not lasting. We’ve never had any issues except the one year we had a leaky tree stand and it wasn’t getting enough water.

Original poster
StillWantingADog · 03/12/2023 20:14

Thanks all. We have put it up and it indeed a nordman fir like last year so we have given it a big drink and crossing fingers for a similar experience to last year. Looks amazing atm!

(we were told it was ok to not put it up immediately as long as we left it outside - we put it in the conservatory which is suitably freezing) . It’s in the lounge now which is rather warmer but well away from radiators

OP posts:
Alighttouchonthetiller · 03/12/2023 20:21

We get ours from a local farm, mid-December. Water it regularly and never any problems. One year, we bought our tree from a posh farm shop sort of place - it started dropping needles immediately and its eventual removal in January was hilarious. As soon as I touched it, every needle fell off simultaneously, leaving me with an enormous pile of needles and a very heavy twig.

TheChosenTwo · 03/12/2023 20:26

Normally get ours mid December and take it back out on Boxing Day (we go on holiday before anyone jumps down my throat for not being traditional or festive) and it still always looks good. We get a Nordmann Fir, pay around £80/90 for an 8ft tree, cut a good 3 inches off the bottom and fill the base with water. Comes in the house as soon as we’ve bought it. We’ve got underfloor heating so I do check it every day, usually what happens is it drinks up loads for the first few days and then a week or so in it calms down and pretty much only needs topping up one more time.

StillSmallVoice · 03/12/2023 20:41

I have an artificial tree. Soz. It is pre-lit with all the lights, and doesn't look too bad. It frees up cash to have a beautiful wreath on my front door on my busy street, from a lovely local business, which I am told, every year, people enjoy. So there's no maintenance, no mess, and no issues with getting rid of it after Christmas. Win all round, I think.

Original poster
StillWantingADog · 03/12/2023 21:33

StillSmallVoice · 03/12/2023 20:41

I have an artificial tree. Soz. It is pre-lit with all the lights, and doesn't look too bad. It frees up cash to have a beautiful wreath on my front door on my busy street, from a lovely local business, which I am told, every year, people enjoy. So there's no maintenance, no mess, and no issues with getting rid of it after Christmas. Win all round, I think.

Wreath sounds lovely. They are expensive aren’t they.

I have no issue with fake trees, what I grew up with and what we have had most years. But am happy with our latest phase of having real trees! It won’t last forever.

OP posts:
Mazuslongtoenail · 03/12/2023 21:36

We’ve had a real one every year for 15 years. Have it on a wooden block and don’t water it. We buy it the first weekend of December and it’s always fine, even by twelfth night.

WellWillWoll · 03/12/2023 21:57

I get a Norway Spruce every year. The type that does drop its needles. Really don't like the non drop ones.

Anyway, I put it up on or around the 1st December and I've never had one not make it to Christmas.

I saw the bottom off, keep it outside in a bucket of water for a couple of days then bring it in. I water it every day and that's it.

They smell lovely too 🙂

StillSmallVoice · 04/12/2023 09:21

@StillWantingADog I grew up with artificial trees, not in the UK, and found that people here can be very snobby about them. They do make life easier though. People also look down their noses at tinsel as well, but perhaps that's just the people the evil ex surrounded himself with.

And my wreath is expensive, so it's lovely that others can enjoy, as I love seeing what others have done.

FairytaleChristmas · 04/12/2023 11:35

We have a different type every year, last year we paid around £80 for the tree and it was very droopy by Christmas but we had it in a stand last year so couldn't be watered.
Previous years it's gone in a bucket of mud and been watered. So watering is probably the key to keeping it fresh.

reluctantbrit · 04/12/2023 17:20

StillSmallVoice · 03/12/2023 20:41

I have an artificial tree. Soz. It is pre-lit with all the lights, and doesn't look too bad. It frees up cash to have a beautiful wreath on my front door on my busy street, from a lovely local business, which I am told, every year, people enjoy. So there's no maintenance, no mess, and no issues with getting rid of it after Christmas. Win all round, I think.

It's personal taste.

We prefer a real one with real candles. Wreaths are nice but I don't see it a lot while the tree is something I see during the day whenever I am in the living room.

DD has an artificial one in her room and it's not too bad but not what I like.

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