Christmas Tree Care Guide
Real Christmas trees are a real passion of ours and have been for generations. Our trees are from sustainable sources and are quality checked for shape, health, colour and form. No Christmas tree is alike, so take time and enjoy choosing this new temporary member of the family with all the quirks and endearing qualities of other family members. We're proud to have we've been supplying Christmas trees to the same local families for generations and we love beginning new chapters each year with new people. So come along, meet the trees and chat with our experts on care, decorating and getting the most from your tree.
Fresh – Where possible choose a freshly cut tree. A tree absorbs water better from a freshly cut trunk. Remove 1/2″ from the base of the trunk and leave outside in a bucket of water 24 hours before taking it inside your home, this will allow your tree to start drinking before being taken into a warm room.
Care - Your tree should be watered and cared for, just as you would for any house plant. A tree should be treated like any plant being brought into a warm, dry atmosphere. To ensure maximum longevity, water your tree each day and it will reward you with that wonderful fragrance and great needle retention. We recommend a Christmas tree stand that holds water. Keep your stand topped up with water; you will be surprised how much the tree drinks! Keep your tree away from radiators or other sources of heat. If you have underfloor heating consider turning the zone off where your Christmas tree is or put your Christmas tree on a mat to try and prevent it from getting too hot.
Plan – If you're not setting up your tree straight away, place it in a bucket of water in a sheltered spot in your garden or garage until you're ready to bring it inside to decorate. After Christmas, if you are growing on a pot grown tree it may benefit from being reacclimatised to colder temperatures before being put outside.
Check – Your tree should look fresh and green. Gently run your hand down a branch or tap the tree lightly on the floor, it is normal for a few needles to come away but this will be minimal with a fresh tree. Some Christmas trees are container grown, which means they have been grown for at least one season in their pots. They are smaller and seldom more than 3ft. Often, it is possible to lift the tree’s whole root system out of the pot and see the closely woven root which has grown inside. If you are looking to grow your tree on choose a pot grown tree rather than a potted tree (which will have been grown in the ground and transferred to a pot).
Plant – After Christmas, pot grown trees can either be planted out with a very good chance of success or they can be left to grow on in a pot for a few years. When taking your pot grown tree out after Christmas, ideally put it garage or porch to allow it to acclimatize. Check the root system on your tree to see if it needs re-potting into a larger container ready for new growth in the spring. Make sure you keep your pot grown tree well-watered during prolonged dry, hot spells.
Disposal – We offer a Christmas tree recycling service at our stores and you can also arrange for your tree to be picked up and recycled.