Garden Talk: Tips to help your cut Christmas tree last longer

Jill and Rick Van Duyvendyk answer all your gardening questions in Garden Talk on 650 CKOM and 980 CJME every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. Here are some questions and answers from the Dec. 14 show:

Read more:

These questions and answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Q: What life span can be expected for a cut Christmas tree?

A: It depends on the variety. A Fraser fir could last three to four weeks indoors. You might be able to get five weeks out of it. A balsam three to four weeks. Douglas fir, two to three weeks.

Don’t touch them because they’ll shed really fast. The bottom of the trunk must be cut right before going in water. If left for even two hours, it will seal with resinous sap and dry over, and your tree won’t soak up water. For the first couple of days a tree could need around eight litres of water a day.

Drill a few holes around the outside edge of the trunk below the water line, and that opens up some more pores so that it can suck up water.

Keep in mind the tree was cut probably two or three weeks before picking it up from a store. From the tree nursery to the market, a tree could be cut for a few weeks before it even gets to a lot.

An ideal spot to keep it inside is somewhere cool, away from direct sun and heat sources like fireplaces, vents, and radiators, which will dry out the tree.

You can use a product called Wilt-Pruf or similar and spray your tree completely before you bring it into the house, and let it dry. You can use Stafresh or another Christmas tree preservative in the water. That works just like that little package of powder you get with the cut flowers.

See Dutch Growers guide to live Christmas tree care here.

Q: How long I should I leave tied off spruce trees?

A: One year. Make sure the rope or string is not digging into the bark because that’ll affect the way the top will grow for the rest of the tree’s life.

Q: How do I look after a frosty fern?

A: Ferns don’t like to be cool. They don’t even like to be watered with cool water, so make sure you use warm water, and they like to be kept moist all the time.

They also don’t like to be sitting in any water. So if you have them in a sleeve or a pot without holes in them and you water them, make sure you empty out the excess water.

Give it a mist every once in a while. You can put a pebble tray underneath it, but make sure the feet are not sitting in water.

If you’re going to be putting it outside in the summer season, put it in a shady area — an east location would be perfect.

Q: What are some Christmas gift ideas?

A: Here are some suggestions:

A root feeder, which is like a stake that goes into the soil and you attach a hose to it.
A pair of tall pruners to reach high branches.
A telescoping apple picker.
Grow lights.
A bird house to attract birds or a bird bath.

Read more: