How long do real xmas tree ..............

[fairydust]

How long do real xmas tree last ??????

And do do i put it in??????

do i feed it ??????

do they drop alot of needles

They last through Christmas (so a month at least) as long as you keep it watered. I've never fed it - just water.

They don't drop as many needles if you keep them well watered, but even so it's just a small area that takes about 30 seconds to vacuum.

I love real trees. The smell is wonderful!

If you get the longish needled kind, they last about 3 weeks, you can put it in a stand, and they need water, which must be topped up. They don't shed many needles at all, mostly at the end, but nothing like the trees with the small needles we used to have when I was young.

And nothing is too much trouble when you have the fresh smell of Christmas tree in the room.

all of the below and if you can help it try not to keep it right next to a radiator as needles drop off more.

You need to make sure the one you buy is fresh - don't buy one that's already tied up in a net or something, see the branches hanging down and give it a couple of knocks to see if any needles fall off.

Then as soon as you get it home cut about an inch off the trunk and stick it in a bucket of water outside until you're ready to bring it in, and get one of those holders that you can put water in to keep it going - they can suck up about a pint a day!

K&TG - they smell lovely don't they......proper 'Christmassy'.

I buy mine with a root FD and plant it in a bucket with a couple of bricks and some sand (its a bit heavy to shift, but it won't fall over) Pop a pint of water in every day and Bob's your uncle, no needle drop -

but are they save just in a bucket? scared it will fall over

We've never had a problem, even with three kids charging round. How big a tree are you going to have?

6ft / 7ft

You're gonna need a bigger bucket!!

so if i got a kitchen bucket would that be ok - or are we talking a tub i.e what you put the kids toys in

I use a biggish heavy duty bucket - think dh nicked it from the firestation actually. Wedge it in with a couple of bricks and once the sand is wet it's fine.

doesn't the sand soke up the water ??? are stones better

bump

It is important to get a xmas tree stand with a reservoir for water - a cut tree is the same as a cut flower - it needs to drink. Cut a couple of inches off bottom of trunk, this will help it take up water.

Be a bit careful with non-drop trees - some keep their needles but drip sticky sap - harder to get off carpet than needles!

The best way probably is to get a container grown tree. That is a tree that has been grown from very small in the container you buy it in. These trees have a good chance of growing on if you want to plant it in the garden after xmas. They are usually smaller trees though, and more expensive. Good if you have a crawler and want a table standing tree. And it may grow with the child for future use! Not all trees that come ready planted are container grown. Most are field grown, dug up and potted. Not so likely to survive. hth

We have one last year and it was amazing, needles didn't drop at all, we watered it. In fact we left it outside after christmas, too disorganised to take up the dump and it still had its needles in February !

we get a long needled one (can't remember real name) and they stick it in a log. so you can't water it; always last about 3 weeks, no water, very lttle droppage and it id by the radiator.

Container grown ones are great - no problems with buckets (they're already in one, and very stable) and you plant them outside in January.

My one is in the garden now, from last year. Even if I only get the 2 christmasses out of it, I'm glad I bothered to plant it! (And it didn't cost that much more than buying a cut one - but it is relatively small.)

I think there must be more than one kind of non-drop. Ours last year was labelled as part non-drop! And I still can't get the sticky stuff off the carpet!

Depends on what you buy. Get the fluffy, fat branched looking tree (sorry, can't think of it's name) from a reputable nursery who will have looked after it preperly before you bought it, keep it watered yourself (no feeding required) and it should last 3 weeks. Having said that, I have bought real trees for four years now and the year before last we had a duff one which lost loads of needles - obviously hadn't been cared for properly. Mind you, it was obvious almost from day one as it dropped loads of needles right from the start which is not usual, so I suppose I could have gone and got another one.

Get a Norwegian blue (I swear to you its not a parrot)and although quite expensive it will not drop. Put it in a bucket with large pebbles (oh its easy for me I live 5 mins from the beach) but they keep it firmly upright and then water a little every day into the bucket.

i find if i put it in a cool place it lasts longer
dont ut it by a radiator

I think we have had Nordman fir for the last few years - has longer, softer needles and fewer branches than the Norway spruce, which is the kind everybody used to get with little stabby needles.

get a 'proper' pine off cannock chase

Still missing the chase then Fio?