I think I’m going to have a tree this year – haven’t the last few, but what the hell, I pass the “$12 and up” place going to and from work. (Yeah, I know, it will turn out to be “and up” – but since the starting place down in Philly is $20, what the hell.)
Anyway, I know you need to keep it watered. And I know that you need to cut the bottom inch or so off the tree before you start, and then leave it in a bucket to get hydrated before you put it in the stand (where you’ll keep it watered).
I read somewhere, though, that you should put hot water in the bucket for the preliminary watering – that this will “release the sap” and enable the tree to take up more water.
This is wrong, right? Aren’t the sap “arteries” (dunno right word) and the water “arteries” two different “systems”?
Regardless – does the temperature of the water for the first watering make any difference?
We’ve always used warm or room temp water to avoid shocking the plant. I’m not sure about the science behind it, but my Ms. swears it’s true and I find it best to just go along.
There are two transport systems in the plant - xylem (carries watery fluid) and phloem (carries sugary fluid) - these are all exposed at the cut stump end though - I haven’t a clue whether hot or cold water would be best for a cut tree - I suppose hot water might dissolve a crust of sap that had sealed the cut end and thus open up the vessels again.
But cutting off the bottom inch takes care of this already. Thanks for the xylem/phloem info, though. Since they’re different systems, though, I’m trying to figure out the “release the sap” thing (alas, I have zero idea where I saw this tidbit, whether it was online, in a book, or in a magazine – it was something I was looking at for work – could have been anywhere). Maybe something about volumes – if you “release the sap” those arteries are emptier, so the water arteries can get plumper with water?
The hot water isn’t needed. I think somebody started to tell people that because water warm disolves solids faster. Your dealing with a living organism here, not a beaker with sugar in it. The important part is the outer live layer under the bark. The inner transport feeds the roots, which you don’t have anymore.
The biggest factor for a good none needle dropping tree is if they experience a cold spell somewhere’s under 15 F I would say. They seem to then have the seasonal needle drop triggered. All the evergreens I know of, cycle the needles through a two or three year cycle. Buying a cut one though can leave all the needles dropping on your floor, because they were kill before you bought it. I’ve had trees that didn’t get the low cold shock actually bud out new growth in the house a few times. I left one up until February to see if it was going to die. It didn’t until after I threw it out. I cut them before Thanksgiving to decorate the day after. I hate crowds.
Many tree sellers will provide a package of “tree preservative” for you to add to the water (probably just like the stuff you get when you buy cut flowers) - I have no idea if it’s snake oil or not, but we buy NICE trees (around $60-$70) so I always figure a few extra dollars for “preservative” won’t hurt.
I’ve heard to use warm sugar water the first couple of times you put water in the tree base,. The tree should be thirsty and suck up a lot of the water the first few days.
Good luck!
Stainz (who hasn’t gotten her family’s tree yet this year)
(And as far as placement is concerned – it’ll be smack-dab in the middle of the living room, which is the only spot available. Thus the preference for small trees.)
I’m feeling a little contrarian on this one. I’ve always put water in for the tree, and the tree always turns dry as a bone regardless. The tree is no longer a living, breathing thing, so to speak, so whatever mechanism is used by a living tree to get water to its needles is no longer operative, is it? Or is it all about capillary action, which would be sort of the same in the dead tree as in the live? I suppose the other factor is the nature of the cut at the base of the tree – if the fibers are crushed, wouldn’t that inhibit the strawlike action?
Do you recut the bottom before you put it in the stand? Because that really does make a difference – the sap will scab over at the cut and prevent the tree from taking up water – which it needs to do to slow down the dehydration somewhat. (Experiment: take a bunch of flowers; put half of them in a vase with water; put the other half in a dry vase. See which looks nice longer.)
I don’t recut the bottom of the tree, so that may be an issue. But it does seem, per your experiment, that trees are categorically different from flowers in how they’d take up water. Sheer size seems like it would be an issue.
When I get home, I’ll do an experiment. I’ll stand a six-foot piece of pine lumber in a container of water, and see if capillary action gets water to the top.
I was goiing to say treat them like cut flowers in a vase. They will die, but not caring for them right can kill them quick. I never by precut trees because I hve no idea what they have endured. The area I live in has many christmas tree farms, and I can tell you we see some going abroad by the beginning of November. I certainly don’t want one of those trees. Most are shipping before Thanksgiving. Always get a fresh cut when you can. Touch the needles and if they fall off it’s dead. Bend the needles and if they don’t flex they’re dead.
A live spruce can die in a nursery because it wasn’t watered, and you won’t know until two weeks later when all the needles drop at once that it’s dead. Think of it as rigamortis setting in for the tree. You finally know it was dead when you bought it.
Water logged wood is what you’ll get after a long time.
The thin living layer under the outer bark is the only conduit of water that is designed to carry useful amounts of water to the needles.
The trees live for others, so if you can’t keep it alive, your killing it or buying an already good as dead tree. Some people shouldn’t buy living plants, and that’s a fact.
The mere act of cutting the tree off at the base does not mean the tree is immediately, entirely, dead. The whole process of grafting involves cutting off a piece of tree and attaching it to the stump of a different tree. The cutting is no less separated from its roots than your christmas tree, but it survives just fine because the cut end is treated the right way.
A christmas tree with a fresh cut on the bottom will suck up a TON of water the first day or two, the biggest issue is keeping the stand from going dry. That tree hasn’t shut itself down, even though there’s really no chance of it surviving long term.
Well, for those of us who don’t have a cut-your-own place nearby, I think we can assume that the tree has been cut for some time – days or weeks. In which case it seems like putting water in the base is pointless. Worse that pointless, even, since the chance of spillage is asymptotic to 100%, in my experience.
Even if you’re not going to cut your own – and most of us arent’ – you can check for freshness at the lot (bend a branch: it should flex, not break, and pick it up and thump it on the ground a couple of times: no more than a few needles should fall off), and then take care of it at home (saw off the bottom inch or two; put in a bucket and let it soak up water for a day or two before you put it in the stand; keep the stand watered).
This will keep the tree fresher, longer (though not alive, and not indefinitely), making it less of a fire hazard , less messy, and more attractive and fragrant.
For spillage: put a big garbage bag or old shower curtain under the stand before you put the tree up. This will help protect your floors.
By “fresh cut” I mean the guy at the Christmas tree place (or you) chop off the last 3-4 inches of the trunk, exposing fresh wood just prior to setting it into the stand with water. I had the tree guy do it, and set the tree up 30 minutes later, it sucked up a good gallon or two of water in the first couple of days. The difference between that and leaving the crusty sap covered stump intact is like night and day.
I fill the stand with a bottle, instead of a cup or watering can, so far no spillage. (crossing fingers)
I use a plastic soda bottle of about a 24 oz size to fill the reservoir. I’ve gone through a couple gallons the first 24 hours in some extreme cases.
Those precuts need to be stored in cool areas with tarps over the ones not one display to reduce water needs and loss. Wet snowy weather reduces the dehydration also.