People are only just realising why you shouldn’t put Christmas trees in soil or sand

Keeping a Christmas tree alive is one of life’s many mysteries – people may complain that their branches droop and the tree ends up smelling, but there are ways to ensure this doesn’t happen

Putting your decorations up is one of the most exciting parts of the Christmas period. Each family has their own personal traditions and it’s really fun to carry them through each year, regardless of how many Christmasses you’ve seen before. If you get a real tree, however, sometimes it can be confusing how best to take care of it.

If you’re still yet to deck your halls with boughs of holly, or you’re wondering how to look after your real Christmas tree to make it last throughout all of the festivities, William Mitchell, gardening expert and owner of Sutton Manor Nursery, said that there are ‘correct’ ways to water and care for your tree.

Around eight to 10 million real Christmas trees are sold each year across the UK – but annoyingly, not all of them retain their fresh pine scent and green branches until the big day.

William Mitchell said there are methods to keep your tree looking as fresh as possible.

He said: “As soon as you bring your tree home and take it out of the net, you should cut one to two inches off the bottom of the trunk before placing it in a large bucket or tree stand.

“This opens up the tree’s pores, allowing it to easily absorb water. If you don’t cut the bottom of the trunk, it will remain blocked with sap and will struggle to drink water, no matter how often you feed it.

“Similarly, you should refrain from putting your tree in soil or sand as this will also block the pores, making water absorption extremely difficult.”

William also said that it’s important to water your tree to prevent it from becoming dry and brittle – he recommends one or two litres a day, with the bare minimum 500ml.

He insisted that trees should be constantly submerged in two inches of water, and it’s vital to keep your eye on the level – but he said trees don’t need lemonade or sugar to perk them up, as is recommended widely, because water will do.

Thinking about where to put your tree, William recommended keeping them away from warm areas and radiators which will dry it out.

He said: “It’s a good idea to place your tree close to a window where it can get some fresh air. If you have already placed your tree somewhere warm or close to a heating source, you should move it to a cooler, safer area.”

If you don’t water your tree over the festive season, it will become dry, it’ll droop, needles will fall off, it’ll start to smell, and ultimately, it’ll die prematurely. And nobody wants a dead Christmas tree on the big day.