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Happy Holidays! Here are a few tips on selecting and caring for a Pre-cut Christmas tree.
Selecting a Pre- Cut Christmas Tree:
Healthy Tree - Avoid trees that have dry and brittle twigs, a sour musty smell, or are losing large amounts of needles. Green needles on fresh trees break crisply similar to a carrot.
Size of the Tree - Before buying your tree make sure you measure both the height and width of the area the tree will be displayed. 
Branching Pattern - Select a tree with evenly distributed branches that tapers nicely from its top down to its base. Look for a tree with a straight trunk and avoid trees that have large areas without branches.
Mechanical Shakers - Many tree farms have a mechanical shaker to remove any dead needles from the tree before taking it home. Using a shaker will help reduce messes over the course of the holidays.
Transporting - Don't forget to wrap the tree and tie it securely to the car. It is best to have the bottom of the tree aiming forward in order to help keep the needles from being blown off.
Setting up the Tree -
Trunk - Remove a disk of wood from the trunk about 0.5 to 1 inch thick immediately before placing the tree into the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the trunks axis, not at an angle or a "v" because this makes it difficult to hold the tree in a stand and reduces the water available to the tree. The outer layers of the wood are most efficient in water uptake and should not be removed.
Water - Make sure to get your tree into water as soon as possible. Species like Doug Fir and Fraser Fir can go 6 - 8 hours after cutting and still take up water. Make sure not to bruise the end of the trunk or get it dirty this can cause problems for water uptake.
Stands - Make sure the stand can hold enough water for the tree to utilize over a 24 hour period. As a general rule, fresh trees use about a quart of water per day per inch of trunk. Make sure the stand remains filled with water for the duration of time that the tree is in your house. If the stand is not filled with water the trees sap will actually create a barrier over the cut to help itself to avoid water loss from the trunk and will prevent water uptake even if you provide water later.
Chemicals - Do not add chemicals to the water in your stand. These can increase transpiration (water evaporation from the leaves) or reduce the amount of water available for the tree to use.
Decorating Your Tree:
Keep away from Heat - Heat sources can dry the Christmas tree out much faster and increase the risk of fire.
Lights - Use only UL approved lights and extension cords on the tree. These have lower heat outputs.
Ornaments - Place fragile or sharp ornaments closer to the top of the tree and out of the reach of children that might hurt themselves. Green floral wire can be used to secure them tightly onto the tree if necessary.
 Pets - Christmas trees are giant toys to many dogs and cats. They can chew on wires or break ornaments and hurt themselves. If possible keep pets out of the room with the tree to help avoid any unnecessary injuries or messes.
Turn off Tree Lights - When leaving the house or going to bed, don't forget to turn off the Christmas lights!
Options for Recycling Your Tree:
Removing the Tree - To avoid messes when removing your tree place a large plastic bag under the stand at the time of setting up the tree. The bag can be wrapped around the tree, stand and all, before transporting it outside. Any litter left from the tree is best to sweep up because the sap found on the needles can clog vacuum cleaners.
Curbside Pick-up for Recycling - Call for an appointment to have a non-profit in the area pick up your tree. Don't forget to remove all ornaments and decorations. Visit http://www.iwma.com/directory-aj/christmastrees.html for additional information.
Mulch - Trees can be chipped and shredded and utilized as a garden mulch.
Fish Feeders - If you or someone you know has a pond, Christmas trees can be sunken into the water and utilized as an excellent hiding and feeding area for fish.
Bird Feeders - Consider using your old tree in the garden as a bird sanctuary. Decorate the tree with popcorn garland, peanut butter coated pinecones, or orange slices. The birds will love a winter treat and can utilize the branches as a perch while eating.
Never burn your Old Christmas Tree - Evergreen trees contain large amounts of turpentine oils and are highly flammable. Burning the tree greatly increases the risk of a chimney fire.
Live Christmas Trees: If you decide to purchase a live tree remember they get really large and may not fit in your landscape should you decide to plant it in your yard after the Holidays.
Resources:
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Thanks for making EARTHSCAPES your Landscape service provider for another year. Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year from all of us at EARTHSCAPES!
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