Keeping your Christmas tree healthy through the holidays
Q We like to put up our real Christmas tree early so we can enjoy it. Last year we put the tree up in the first week of December and it was losing a lot of needles by Christmas. I followed your tips I've read in the past and cut a couple of centimetres off the bottom of the trunk just after I brought it home at the end of November, and put it into a pail of water in the garage. When we were ready to decorate, I went to get the tree and found the water had frozen solid so I chipped it off, brought it in and decorated it. We kept the tree watered but noticed it was not absorbing much water and then the needle drop started. What can we do to keep this from happening this year?
A I think the problem is that you didn't make a second cut. With my trees, I make that first cut when it's brought home, and I, too, put it in water in the garage.
I know the water is likely to freeze but it does give the tree a drink after you make the first cut. What also likely happened is that the cut sealed itself when the water froze.
Making a second cut just a centimetre above the first cut before you bring it into the house is important.
Always keep the tree well watered. Trees may use several litres of water each day so checks the levels daily.
Keeping the tree supplied with fresh water is absolutely critical to the tree's longevity, so manufacturers are making tree stands with larger water reservoirs now — a four-litre reservoir is ideal.
Never let the water level fall below the base of the tree. If this occurs, the cut end can seal over, preventing further water uptake. The tree must then be taken down and a fresh cut made to allow water uptake.
Adding aspirin, soda water, bleach or sugar to the water in the tree stand is no more effective in keeping the tree fresh than adding plain water each day.
In fact, the bleach can harm the tree.
YOURS TRULY IN THE PRAIRIE GARDEN
I received my copy of The Prairie Garden this week. It's Western Canada's only gardening annual and it's chock full of great gardening articles and tips.
I keep every one of mine for reference, and am proud to be a contributor this year.
My article is entitled Tips for Growing Veggies in Containers, which follows the theme for the 2022 edition, Smaller Spaces.
Whether gardening on a large acreage or little balcony, we all have small spaces where we want to grow plants.
The thing I enjoyed about this edition is it answers the questions, what can I grow and where can I grow it?
Perhaps even more importantly, it talks about how you can get the most out of compact areas.
If you have a small space where you think nothing will grow you need to read this book — be surprised and inspired.
The Prairie Garden is a non-profit publication dedicated to the advancement of horticulture on the Prairies.
It is a digest sized soft cover annual that was started in 1937 by a volunteer organization, and you can order a 2022 copy at theprairiegarden.com
You can also purchase copies at Greenland Garden Centre, Parkland Garden Centre and Hannas Seeds, but I suggest calling ahead to make sure they have the book in stock.