If you want your real tree to last through the festive season, you need to remember to take care of it just as you would any cut branch or flower that you bring into your home.
There are two main and easy care tips to help preserve the look and life of your tree once you have it inside. The first is to keep your tree in a cool, dry space, away from radiators, fires or other heat sources which could dry it out more quickly. Trees grow outside in the cold, where they thrive so it makes sense that bringing a tree into an overheated space can cause it distress.
The second and most important tip is to water, water and water your tree everyday! A real Christmas tree can drink 1 to 2 litres of water a day depending on its size and your heating level.
You may have heard rumours of, or even swear by, adding bleach, aspirin, honey, 7UP or sugar to the water at the base of your tree but adding anything other than just plain water provides no real benefit. The key to preserving the longevity of your Christmas tree is to keep the reservoir of water at the base of the tree well topped up.
A dehydrated tree will start to droop and wilt very quickly so remember that moisture is the essential ingredient in looking after your tree. Aim to add at least 500ml of water a day as a minimum amount.
It is part of the life cycle of conifer trees that they drop their needles and this will accelerate if they are dehydrated. A well-watered tree will lose fewer needles but all fresh trees will lose some.
So remember, the top two tips to keep your real Christmas tree looking full, fresh and festive for as long as possible is to position it away from heat sources and to make sure to water it every single day!
The Pink Wheelbarrow 
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