Will sugar water help your Christmas tree? Here’s what experts say to do and not do
Christmas is coming up fast, and people who chose to put up a live tree early in the holiday season may notice that, by now, it looks a little past its prime.
Some people have turned to methods like watering their trees with sugar water, soda, vodka or even water mixed with bleach to revive them. But experts say there are better, more effective ways to keep trees green and keep a mess of pine needles off your floor.
According to a report from Michigan State University Extension, having a long-lasting Christmas tree starts the moment you buy it. Shoppers should look for trees that are fresh enough that needles won’t come off in their hands if they gently tug on the tree. Once they bring the tree home, they should cut around an inch from the base of the tree to help it better absorb water once it’s put up.
After that point, keeping the tree as fresh as possible comes down to making sure it’s watered well. According to the MSU report, a typical 7-foot-tall tree with a 3-inch trunk diameter might drink up to 3 quarts of water per day. Plain tap water is all you need — the report cautions against adding sugar, aspirin, bleach, floral preservatives or other additives to the water.
Some of those additives, like bleach, can actually cause damage to trees and plants. Chlorine bleach is corrosive when undiluted, and even bleach mixed with equal amounts of water can burn the foliage of nearby plants within 10 minutes, SFGATE reported.
The National Christmas Tree Association said placing trees in a “traditional reservoir type stand” is the best way to maintain freshness and minimize needle loss.
“As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter,” the organization said.
The association recommends that Christmas tree owners place their trees in water as soon as possible and replenish the water daily. Trees should also be kept away from heat sources, like fireplaces, heaters, heat vents and direct sunlight, to keep them from drying out too quickly.
Once a Christmas tree is very dry, it’s time to get rid of it, the NCTA said. Keeping a dried-out tree in the home for too long can increase the risk of the tree catching on fire, McClatchy News reported.