First real christmas tree.. what do I need to know?

[Webbb]

Moved house so can finally have a real tree. 🌲

Unfortunately, it needs to be in front of a radiator but I've googled it (read lots of MN threads) that say it will survive if watered every day.

Choosing from a local place probably 6th/7th Dec. Could maybe do the following weekend if people don't think it'll make it to new years day, when I take it down.

I know I need to saw off the bottom and stand it in a bucket of water outside for a day.

What stand do I need? Where do you get a good stand from? What else do I need to know?

Thank you!

Nothing like a real tree at Christmas, OP!

I’ve had a basic fir tree last for 6 weeks in really good shape, but if there’s no way you can turn the radiator off (or at least right down), you may be better off looking for a low drop tree like a Nordmann. They’re a bit more expensive but will last longer. Get the yard to cut an inch off the stump so it’ll be able to drink more easily.

I never bother with a stand, they’re all useless IME. I just stick the tree in a deep bucket of water outside, then bring it in still in the bucket and stand the whole thing inside a larger log basket. You can weight the stem with bricks if you need to, but as long as the tree sits down into the log basket it’ll support itself as the heavy lower branches stabilise the tree.

If you’ve not had a real one before, be aware they can be a bit mucky and wet and drop dead bits everywhere when you first cut the net off, so if you’ve got carpet or matte paintwork be careful!

Before you position it against the wall, leave yourself plenty of room to walk around it. Much easier to get your lights on. I start with the plugs in the wall and kind of work backwards around the tree so you don’t end up doing it all and then finding the plugs don’t reach the socket. Once they’re done you can push it into place and decorate with all your other bits.

We always get our tree the first Saturday in December, and DD and I put it up and decorate it the following day, always with a cocktail and listening to carols. One of my happiest afternoons of the year. Hope you get to start your own lovely traditions in your new home x

I personally would turn the radiator off or move it away from the radiator.

I’ve never heard about leaving it outside in water for a day. We’ve definitely never done that. It goes right inside the house as soon as we get home.

You can get a tree stand from Amazon, B&Q, local hardware store. We got ours fa charity shop.

We’ve always gotten ours the first weekend of December. This year it will be 30th of November and it lasts til early January. Needless do start to fall off a bit towards the end, but just hoover them up. Tree still looks great. Just keep it topped up with water.

We pick our tree at the beginning of December so we have lots to pick from but I don’t put it up till around the 15/16th. I just keep it in the netting in a bucket of water in the garden.

Nothing to add OP, but wanted to say this is a really informative and lovely response, right in the spirit of Christmas

I always prune mine to get a good shape. And flatten it a bit at the back as it goes against a wall. I use the offcuts to make garlands for the fireplaces/stairs - tie them together with twine/garden wire. Keep the tree watered.

I bought an old cast iron Victorian tree stand off an old lady in FB marketplace. It weighs a ton but it looks lovely and I'll use it for years to come.

We always have a real tree.
It's next to a radiator but I turn the radiator down low and make sure the stand always has plenty water in it.

Usually goes up 8th-10th and take down 2nd/3rd Jan and it lasts fine.

Make sure you choose the tree and then they wrap it, don't take a ready wrapped one as you may get it home and it's far too bushy. This may have happened to us

Make sure you choose the tree and then they wrap it, don't take a ready wrapped one as you may get it home and it's far too bushy.

Ooh, yes, meant to say this OP! Whether you’re buying from a farm or a garden centre, don’t be shy about getting them to show you as many trees as it takes for you to get exactly what you want. Even trees being sold as the same height and price are so different in terms of radius and volume - some just don’t have a nice shape, or evenly spaced branches, or are bushy at the bottom and a load of bare twig at the top. They’ll unwrap any you want to look at, so don’t get fobbed off with a netted one or just take the first thing they give you bc they’re busy.

I’m not as fussy about anything else I buy, but Christmas trees are blinking expensive and you’re going to be looking at it every day for a month, so I feel entitled to be a bit of a tinselly PITA about it!

Turn the radiator off or right down or it'll dry out and be awful even with lots of water.

Make sure whatever stand you use that the bottom of the trunk is always submerged. They drink loads of water and if the bottom isn't in water even for a few hours it'll seal and won't be able to drink anymore.

The tree is my favourite part of Christmas. We go to a farm and they cut it down for us.

As well as cutting at least an inch off the trunk when you get it home, also scrape the bark off any part that will be submerged in water, it helps it absorb more water.

If you get a traditional Norway Spruce and want it to last until twelfth night, then I wouldn't get it until the weekend before Christmas. Nordmann firs will last longer.

You can keep it outside for a few days before bringing it in, should that suit your schedule but get it in water as soon as you can.

Definitely turn off the radiator it is next to.

Some think that misting your tree with water from a spray bottle reduces the speed at which it dries out but I've never tried I and wonder how that works with electric tee lights.

Agree with @EnjoythemoneyJane.

Leave it outside in water for as long as you can ( once the bottom has been cut off). Leave the netting on until it's in the pot inside.

I use a big glazed pot ( no holes so rubbish for most plants) and use 3 bricks to in the water to hold it in place.

I like the cheap spikey Norway Spruce. Smell great and really inexpensive.

I've had a real Christmas tree every Christmas for the last 10 years. I would say get one from a good garden centre rather than a supermarket. Most garden centres sell stands to put them in, just make sure it will fit in before. They can be difficult and faffy to get to stand straight so be prepared for that. Keep testing to make sure it has water every day and top up as necessary. I would either re think location or turn radiator down as it will dry it out quicker. We usually get ours around the first proper weekend in December and it lasts absolutely fine until Jan. You will get needle drops, especially as it gets older but it should still look great! The worst bit is when you remove it after and having to hover up all of the millions of needles it trails behind! Most of all enjoy your lovely tree. I couldn't do without a real tree anymore. We even had the added bonus of having an off spring growing on our drive after one of our trees self seeded one year. It's big enough now to be this years tree!

We’ve always had a real tree, ours goes in a corner so we have a good hack off the back branches and put them on the fireplace under another garland. I love the smell of a real tree.

Check your lights work before you put them in the tree!

I’ve had a really tree every year I can remember (I’m 60 this year 😳)

you must must must water your tree, they drink a lot so water every day. That’s why a good stand is essential. My DH swears by adding a few drops of baby bio or plant food really helps. But I just water, rain water if you can

when you get it, cut off the base and secure in the stand. Leave over night for the branches to settle then put the lights on. I always leave it over night again at this stage because it does seem to settle again. Then decorate. They do sort of drop their branches not much, but I swear they do, for a good few days, it looks really good, then all of a sudden you have gaps. I keep a few small baubles to one side to allow for this.

• Unless you are having it delivered, measure your car. If you can't fit it in the boot, buy some rope/spring cord to tie it to the roof BEFORE you buy your tree.
• You need to check how to dispose of it in January. Check your Council website to see if they offer a Xmas tree collection or if you need to take it to your local tip. If you do need to transport it inside your car, wrap it in an old bedsheet.

It really is worth shelling out for the Nordmann non drop

If you get a good stand that holds water it makes life so much easier. We have a Krinner one which is the absolute bees knees and has much reduced the hassle. Needs topping up but not daily as it holds so much.

Do turn the radiator off

The very ends of branches can be quite soft and bendy so don’t put heavy or very delicate baubles there - slide them down more.

A tree topper that fit on a fake tree may not work on a real one as the top spike is thinner ( but also can have unhelpful bulbous bits)!

We get ours fairly earlyish, around the 18th November and the last 4 years it’s lasted in the garden after we’ve taken it down until March April. usually leave it in water until we are ready to decorate, but before that, the day before we take the netting off and leave to stand for a day.
just make sure it’s topped up with water, the first few days require a lot in my experience but then the top ups become less and less and by then it’s ready to come down.

the Christmas tree farm we usually go to always ask us about heating but it’s not a problem in our house as it’s hardly ever on.
pours isn’t near the radiator so not too much of a problem anyway 😂

Buy one of these. We've had ours for ten years or more, so worth the money.

We tend to buy a mid range tree from a garden centre and have never had pines fall out. If you happen to be in Devon, Plants Galore is amazing for them.

Always have a real tree. Have screw in stand, they just drill a hole in the. Bottom of it it and you screw it in.

I put it up mid December and take down as per normal on 7 January.

It doesn't ever need any watering and doesn't shed.

Agree with others you can take some low branches off the bottom and use for wreaths.

We bought one of these tree stands after years of struggling with tightening bolts etc. soooo much easier and it holds a lot of water. We just have a rattan style skirt to hide it.

Also when it's time to take it down, wrap it in a bed sheet before moving it so all the needles get caught in the sheet and you can just shake it outside.

Otherwise you'll be hoovering them up for months.

Even with watering and sawing the bottom my first one dried out by Christmas when I got it at the start of December.
Now I either keep it outside for a couple of weeks or buy it much later.

Here's the process:
Decide how tall and wide you want it and the type.
Go to Christmas Tree Farm, choose tree. (If you don't have a farm then make sure you see the trees out, do not buy one already wrapped)
They cut it down and wrap
If they drag it through mud etc you will need to hose it off otherwise mud will dry and it will look crap
Get it home and take it in, put in base still wrapped next to its final spot. Try and keep it away from where people are brushing past it.
Turn radiator off
Unwrap
Twist until you find its best side
Move into position and add water, I never trim but you could trim the back if it's sticking out.
Decorate, water every couple of days and enjoy 🙂 🎄

Ours is always next to a radiator and DH likes it to go up first weekend in December. It always lasts till 6th Jan (which is the only day it should be taken down). Stands are the easiest way to keep it upright. Anywhere you're buying a tree will sell you one.

My first thought about you having a Christmas tree was do you have a cat? 😀

I always get mine first weekend in December.
Never cut the bottom off, never soaked it outside. And it's usually in front of a radiator that isn't turned down.
Mine always last through until new year!