Watering a tree?

[TheRavensFeather]

How do you do this? Especially if they just come with the tree trunk base?
Do you put the whole thing in a bucket or something?

Never had a real tree and getting our first today.

or do I need this?

You can normally buy Xmas tree bases at the same place as the tree, or at a garden centre. They hold the tree secure and upright and normally have a little reservoir that you can put about a mug's worth of water in. The water just helps the tree to last a bit longer. The tree normally "drinks" quite a bit the first day or so, so you need to top it up. If you are buying a tree ahead of putting it up at home then keep it outside until you intend to put it up as the cold will help stop the needles shedding. Good luck with your tree buying.

Hi! I have tried both methods over the years, I always have a real tree. I now stick with the tree stand as bucket and bricks combo is often more stressful! My best tip for a real tree is try to get somewhere that guarantees they were cut that day. Last couple of years I've got mine from a place where you choose the tree when still in the field and they have lasted longest like this.

You don't. It doesn't come with the roots and this is why they eventually dry out and the needles fall off. The tree is fixed to the base/bucket.
I watered our first real tree every day. Dh caught me and it was then I discovered a big wet patch on the carpet

When we bring ours home we chop 1inch off the trunk and keep in a bucket of water for about a week. It drinks loads. Since we started doing this our trees have lasted beautifully into new year.

I want to decorate it today. How does it stand up in a bucket of water? Just a big bucket with the log stand inside?

You can't really do it if they are secured to a log stand. All you'll do is soak the log stand and end up with a damp patch on your floor. The cut trunk is the bit that needs to suck up the water.

If you have a separate stand that has a reservoir you can leave it in water for a good 48 hours first and then add a little water to the reservoir every other day and it will suck it up just like cut flowers do. It will last longer.

I'm assuming that by "log stand you mean that the trunk has been secured to a much wider round of wood to act as a stand?

Like ilove, we cut an inch or two off the bottom of the trunk. We have this sort of thing to stand it in which holds several pints of water.

We used to use a plastic tub the size of a large bucket, and after taking a couple of inches off the tree trunk to open up the water uptake channels, stood it in the tub with gravel or pea shingle. This adds weight and so does water when added , so that the tree isn't top-heavy. Make sure that you position the tub where you want the tree before potting it up with the gravel and water because it will be too heavy to move. The gravel needs to be up to two inches below the rim of the tub. Keep the water topped up to this level.

Am wondering if this is worth the hassle and if I should get my plastic tree down.

We used to do the bucket and gravel/sand method, mess on the carpet and hard to realign the tree if you get it wrong. The stand filled with water is no trouble at all.

Dh will saw a slice off the bottom of the trunk (so it can take up water) and then it goes in a big bucket of wet gravel, which I keep topped up with water.
Bucket is then covered with red foil paper.

Should add, I stand the bucket on a round melamine tray, which does make it easier to move the whole lot a little if necessary.