8 Christmas Tree Care Myths Busted

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Oh, Christmas Tree

Everyone has advice about everything these days . And , now that Christmas is approaching , you ’re certain to hear a tidy sum of advice — whether online , on the radio , or from friends or family — about keep your Christmas tree healthy . While great tips seem from fourth dimension to sentence , a lot of what you hear might not actually be the best advice . Several Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree attention myths have been egest around for so long that many mass swear they ’re true .

1. Using baby diapers can help keep your tree hydrated.

Baby diapers are designed with hydrogel that hit it up up liquids and prevent leaks . Despite what many multitude say , these hydrogel ( which may also be referred to as root piddle crystals , water supply jelly crystals , or weewee retentivity granules ) will not actually help keep your Christmas tree hydrate . While hydrogel found in diapers are very efficacious at engage water , they do not really release it back out for usance by a Christmas tree . Check the urine level on a regular basis and instead of diaper consider add together a works nutrient mix , likeMiracle - Gro for Christmas Treesavailable at Amazon , for a well - hydrated tree diagram this season .

2. You should cut the trunk diagonally.

Whether your favoritetype of Christmas treeis a Douglas Fir , Fraser Fir , or Scotch Pine , it may vocalise logical to give the automobile trunk a sloped cut to expose more of the trunk to the water for outstanding absorption . However , this is not in reality the best way to cut a Christmas tree . As the water supply evaporates , the upper section of the trunk eventually wo n’t be in the water . A diagonal cold shoulder may also make it unmanageable to get your tree to rest evenly in the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree base , which could make it more prone to tipping over .

Astraight , vertical deletion is better . Always give a Christmas tree a impudent cut to remove at least ¼-inch of the trunk within 12 hours or less of setting it up .

3. Christmas trees fill up landfills.

Just because cut Christmas trees are only upright for one season , it does n’t mean that they have to finish up in a landfill . Most community of interests put up Christmas tree diagram reprocess programs in which the old trees are used to make grease eroding barriers , mulch , and other raw products . Even if Christmas tree recycling or flatten - off event are not offer where you survive , your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree still does n’t have to end up in a landfill . Those with Grant Wood chippers can mulch their own tree diagram , and where there is blank , gardener can leave the tree diagram in sphere of the yard to provide shelter or food for birds as it decomposes over time .

4. Artificial trees are better because they can be reused every year.

Some environmentally - witting individuals advocate for choosing contrived tree to keep killing a springy tree diagram . However , most Christmas trees come from a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree farm , where they are maturate with the design of harvest them for use on Christmas . In this sentiency , they are much like any other crop . And , when they arecut down , seeds are often implant to mature a young Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .

Moreover , hokey Tree are n’t as eco - friendly as some may believe . They are often made using crude oil , and they typically only last between 6 and 9 years . After that metre , they ’ll terminate up in a landfill , where they wo n’t decompose easily .

5. Many people have allergies to live trees.

While potential , it is uncommon to have an allergic reaction to a cut or living Christmas tree . Some masses may see allergic reaction symptoms due to the debris , pollen , or mould that lands on a lively tree diagram before it ’s cut down . you may set your exposure to these allergen , while still enjoying a real Christmas tree diagram in your home . stir the tree well outside to slay easy dust or mold from the phonograph needle before bringing it into your home . Using a folio blower , likethe Greenworks cordless foliage bloweravailable at Amazon , can help oneself remove even more rubble , pollen , mould , and other allergens from the tree diagram .

contrived Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are not always completely safe for allergy sufferers , either . After the holiday season , they are often stored in basement , garages , or dome , where dust or clay sculpture may also be present . The following time of year , the artificial tree could have some debris or mildew spores that could lead to allergy symptoms for some member of the menage . Whether you choose a live tree or an hokey Christmas tree , an melodic phrase purifier could aid lessen allergy symptom by remove allergen particles from the air . We likethis air purifier with HEPA filterat Amazon , a top filling in ourlist of sound strain purifiers for mildew .

6. Adding aspirin to the water can help the tree stay healthy.

Aspirin — and a variety of other additive , such as sugar , lemonade , pennies , blanching agent , alcohol , corn sirup , and even birth control pills — have been rumor to facilitate a cut Christmas tree stay healthy and hydrated . However , according to theNational Christmas Tree Association , none of these additives will actually assist your tree during the vacation season . In fact , they could actually cause more harm than good . Using anything but plain fresh piss , and perhaps a plant food linear , might negatively impact the tree ’s ability to retain wet , make it to recede more needles .

7. Remove the bark from the bottom of the trunk to help with water absorption.

dispatch the bark from the lower portion of a Christmas tree ’s torso is another vulgar slice of advice . However , just like everything else on this list , it is also a myth . Some hoi polloi believe that taking off the barque will expose more of the tree diagram ’s cambium stratum , allowing it to take in more water . However , this is n’t what will pass off . You ’ll either end up cut off too much bark that you damage the xylem — the tissue that is responsible for moving piddle throughout the tree — or you wo n’t dilute deep enough to reach the xylem , so no water will be absorbed from the tree torso ’s side .

Just cut a thin , straight section off the bottom of the tree trunk right before determine up your tree diagram and hop-skip the bark stripping .

8. Real Christmas trees frequently cause fires.

We ’ve all hear stories of home fires stimulate by Christmas tree . However , while it is n’t unimaginable for a existent tree diagram to catch on fire , it is very rare . allot to theNational Fire Protection Association , only 160 habitation flak nationwide between 2016 and 2020 were triggered by Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . And , some of these fires were due to contrived tree . That being said , it is still important to turn off your tree ’s lights when you ’re not home or when you go to bed . You should also ensure that your Christmas tree diagram is keep away from heating system sources like candles , open fireplace , or wood stoves .

overladen exit are much more probable to be at shift for a house fervour . Each year , there are approximately 5,000 fire due to overladen outlets , with some 40 percentage of these fire occur during the vacation season . Choose a saucy tree , place it in a safe spot , stave off overloading a circuit , and release off lights as advocate to reduce fire danger .

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