The Home Know-It-All

Happy Holidays from The Home Know-It-All

After the Holiday

All good times come to an end. Unfortunately, that includes the end of the holidays and enjoyment of your tree. Your tree has most likely started to have a brown tint to it and the fragrance isn't as noticeable as it was when you first set it up. You begin wondering if there might be more needles on the floor than on the tree.

Well, it is time to take off the lights and decorations.

But what to do with the tree?

Many communities have disposal programs. Some offer curbside pick for a short period. Other communities have drop-off locations for disposal or recycling. Recycling programs will involve 'chipping' the trees for use as mulch or compost.

If you just don't want to part with the tree, you can set it up in your yard as a combination feeder/shelter for birds and other wildlife. Eventually you are going to have to let go and dispose of it, though.

Until later...
The Home Know-It-All

Caring for Your Holiday Tree

You have put a lot of work into selecting the right tree. Once the decorations and lights are on the tree, you want it to last as long as possible. Proper caring for the tree will help to extend the fragrance and color of the tree. The National Christmas Tree Association advices you to do the following:

1. If you haven’t already, cut off a 1/2-inch thick disk from the bottom of tree base before you set it in the stand (it is better to have this done at the tree farm or lot, possible). Do not cut the trunk at an angle or in a v-shape for two reasons: the tree may not set properly in the stand and it will reduce the amount of water the tree will be able to draw. Keep the cut surface clean.
2. Place the tree in the stand and in water as soon as you get it home. Most trees can stand 6 to 8 hours without water after cutting and still be able to draw water.
3. The stand should have a reservoir with adequate water holding capacity. A rule of thumb is 1 quart of water for inch of trunk diameter.
4. Use a stand that fits your tree.
5. Avoid drilling holes in the trunk. It does not improve the water uptake.
6. When refilling the water reservoir, the water temperature is not really important and does not really impact the ability of the tree to draw the water.
7. Check the water reservoir daily (check morning and evening the first few days as you would be surprised how quickly a fresh-cut tree will draw up the water). Do not let the water reservoir fall below the base of the tree.

Follow the above suggestions and you should be able to enjoy your tree for the duration of the holidays. Now get those lights and decorations! Once decorated, make your favorite warm beverage, sit back and enjoy your beautiful tree.

Until Later
The Home Know-It-All

Selecting Your Holiday Tree

 Whether you are selecting a farm-cut tree or a pre-cut tree you want to choose a tree that will last through the holidays. Here are some tips for choosing the right tree:

Let there be light!
Buying your tree off a lot? If you are shopping for one after work, make sure the lot is well lit.

The delivery date
Ask when the tree was delivered to the lot. Where the tree was delivered from will tell a lot about the freshness. A locally grown tree is going to be fresher than a tree hauled from a distant tree farm.

Make sure the needles are resilient.
Using your thumb and forefinger, take hold of a branch approximately 6-inches from the tip. Pull your fingers toward you so the branch slips through your fingers. The needles should slide between your fingers and not fall from the branch. The needles should be flexible and not brittle. 

Are the needles firmly attached to the tree?
Bump the base of the tree lightly against the ground. There should be a very small amount of fall-off from a fresh tree.

Give it the color and fragrance test.
The tree should have a fresh fragrance and look attractive. A fresh, moist tree retains water, which means the tree has good moisture content. Moisture content helps a tree retain good color and fragrance. Avoid tree with a musty odor of discolored foliage.

Strong limbs.
Make sure the limbs are strong enough to hold your ornaments and lights.

If the tree you like meets the above criteria, you have found a tree that should remain beautiful and fresh throughout the holiday.
 

Until Later
The Home Know-It-All

Christmas Tree Urban Myths

Scared of that real Christmas Tree? Not able to sleep at night because of what you heard about the fresh tree you are thinking of purchasing? You shouldn't be. Many people have misconceptions about troubles Christmas Trees can pose. Here are some of the Urban Myths that have been flying around:

1. Real Christmas Trees are cut down from forests.
2. You save a tree by using a fake tree.
3. Real Christmas Trees aggravate allergies.
4. It's better to use a fake tree because you can re-use it each year.
5. Christmas Trees are a fire safety hazard and frequently catch on fire.
6. Real trees cost too much.
7. Fake trees are fireproof.
8. Real Christmas Trees have pesticides and chemicals on them.
9. Real Christmas Trees end up in landfills.
10. Real Christmas Trees are a hassle and a mess.

The National Christmas Tree Association has worked hard to bust these urban myths. To find out their responses, visit their website.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

How Big a Christmas Tree Should I Buy?

I don't recall the first year when we decided to purchase a live tree. I do know that it is now central to our holiday celebration, as the selection of a tree has become a family tradition.

The prep process we use is not quite 'by guess and by golly', but pretty darn close. We know where we are placing the tree­ (we have a 1-1/2 story entryway). The location requires the tree to be narrow, about 5-feet in diameter.

When we went looking for a tree last year, we found the perfect one or so we thought. The diameter turned out okay and the height was ok, but the 10-feet of tree was a challenge to unload and setup. It did work and looked great once it was set in place.

There are better ways to prepare for the tree than our method. Here is one I recommend:

How wide should my tree be?

After you determine where in your home you wish to display your tree, go grab a tape measure. Measure how wide the tree should be to fit the location. Remember that not only will you need to get the tree into the house and at the location (the tree will probably be wrapped, making this an easy task) you will also need to remove it. Getting a tree through the house and out the door after it has bushed out is not an easy chore.

Determining the height of your tree.
There are many things to consider when determining the maximum height of the tree you are selecting. I think pickyourownchristmastree.org does an excellent job explaining this.

1. First measure the room height.
2. Then subtract 1-foot for any tree top ornament.
3. Next subtract the height a tree stand will add to the tree, usually about 6-inches.
4. If you are going to set a tree on a base or table, subtract the height of the base or table.
5. You will need to remove 6-inches of the bottom of a pre-cut tree so it will draw water. Add 6-inches to the total height.

Example: 10-foot ceiling, minus 1-foot for top ornament, minus 6-inches for tree stand, no base or table for our tree just the stand, our tree is cut fresh at the farm so no need to cut off an additional 6-inches = Total maximum height of our tree is 8.5 feet

Hopefully you found this helpful. Next I will discuss what to look for when picking out the tree.
The Home Know-It-All