Help me save my dying tree!

[YummyorSlummy]

I bought my Christmas tree just over a week ago. It's a 6 foot nordic spruce (no roots) and even though I have got a stand with a clamp to put it in that holds water the needles have been dropping like mad already. A few parts are actually bald! I keep checking the water everyday and it doesn't seem to be going down. Have my parents over for the first time this Christmas and really don't want a brown dead tree- if you have any advise please help!

sounds like it must have been cut a long time before you bought it. in theory you are supposed to chop the bottom inch or so off trunk - not that we do - trouble is if you move tree now more needles will drop. that may be why its not drinking water

is it near a radiator - if so can you turn it off?

or contact seller and complain

I'm sorry you probably don't want to hear this but spruces are apparently the worst type for dropping needles- Nordman or fraser Firs are the best according to Which guide

Yummy, get it out and saw 2-3 inches of the bottom of the trunk. Stand it in a bucket of water immediately after, and see if it revives. This should have opened up the water channels in the trunk.

All trees heal when they are cut down or branches are pruned, to prevent water loss and bacteria getting in. Conifers have an especially sticky sap that sets like a scab over the cut trunk. If you do the above you may limit the damage, but can't promise. Otherwise it's going to be a new tree. I never used to get a fresh tree before 15 Dec to be sure it would last until 6 Jan.

I was told by the assistant where we got our tree from one year to cut off the bottom couple of inches and then stand it in ouch hot water. We have done this since and they drink quite a bit. I would think though that moving yours to cut again would wreck what was left on it. Perhaps you could just try the ouch hot water bit - I think the heat is supposed to liquify the dried resin at the base.

No advice - sorry - but this happened to my tree last year - I had to put up an exclusion zone around it to try and preserve it!!!!

I contacted the garden centre where I bought it and they eventually sent a man out to take a look (initially they wanted me to take it to them - I said you must be joking as it was fully decorated!). He took one look and said I has just been very unlucky with a duff tree and I got a full refund!!!

Luckily I have a fake tree too so we weren't completely treeless!!!!

Hope you can at least get your money back!!!

Don't laugh - we were told to give the tree lemonade. So it is enjoying a standful of lemonade (only Smartprice - I wasn't stretching to R Whites for it) over christmas (mixed with water). We did this last year, and the tree was great. Apparently its to do with the sugar.

Hope your tree recovers soon.

"Don't laugh - we were told to give the tree lemonade."

I always stand put cut flowers in half water, half lemonade too. Makes them last at least twice as long.

No advice on the tree besides what has already been offered, sorry.