Real tree near radiator

[Binting]

I really want a real Christmas tree this year, but the only place I can put it in my small flat is near the living room radiator. The heating is set to 21.5 or 22 degrees when I'm home. I would get a stand so it could be watered every day. Do you reckon it would last to 2nd January? (I want to put the tree up Sunday 8th and I always take my decorations down on NYD or 2nd Jan)

Yes, in wondering about this too, as we always have a real tree but we moved house this year and the only place a tree will fit is next to a double radiator, which happens to be the hottest in the house!
At the last house we never watered the tree, and it always lasted from about 10th December to twelfth night no problem. But it was about 15 feet from the radiator (though room was warm).
I should think if you water it it will be fine.

Hey- we're almost name twins!

I think it will be ok, you will have to be prepared to hoover up some needles. Watering is the key part.

As long as you keep it watered.
It should be ok

You might just get away with it if you go for a nordman fir, or similar low needle drop tree. Trees drink a surprisingly large amount of water, more so when in front of heat source.
You will need to cut a couple of inches off the bottom of the trunk and stand it in a bucket of water for a good drink BEFORE bringing it inside to stand best chance of it surviving in good condition. We usually have ours outside for a week before bringing it in. Ours last well and hardly any droppage, but we have never had ours near a direct heat source.

Cutting the bottom off opens up the pores and allows the tree to take up more water, they start to seal up again after, so that first big drink before bringing it inside is important to maximize longevity.

One year our real tree was pristine, literally no needle droppage until friends came in with their Labrador and with one wag of her tail the tree was bare

We get a real one every year and the only place for it is next to our huge radiator. We put it up on the 15th and take it down on the 6th and it lasts okay. It has dropped quite a few needles by the end but we do go away from Christmas Eve until the 28th so it probably doesn’t get watered as much as it would like!

@Bintang

Thanks for all your helpful replies - I'll pick a tree up, pop it in some water for 24 hours or so (although it may freeze at the moment if I leave it outside?), chop a bit off the bottom and go from there. I love the smell of a real tree - can't wait.

Hummm, we always have a real tree by a radiator and I always turn that radiator right down: but then we also still have real candles on the tree, so it's unusually important that our tree doesn't dry out too much ;-)

In terms of prep work:

• yes to leaving it outside as long as you can to drink: cut before you put in water (you're ensuring the internal 'tubes' are clear to suck water up and haven't sealed up which can happen)
• don't worry about leaving it outside and it freezing: trees cope with being outside ;-)
• Nordmann fir is definitely worth the extra money in terms of less drop.
• when you're not using the room, close the door and turn the radiator down or off
• water everyday: trees are thirsty

If you can put it up any later, then do ... we always put ours up very late (think week before Christmas or so) but it has to last until 6th.

@nooneever That's a known Labrador fault.