Christmas Tree Trouble...WWYD?

[Blueridge]

I moved this from the general board.

We are trying a fresh Christmas tree for the first time in almost 20 years. I love the idea of a fresh tree, the pine smell, the soft feel of the branches. The trouble is, we didn't know that we were supposed to cut off a slice from the trunk so it could absorb water. So we've had the tree in a water holding stand since the day after Thanksgiving. It was so beautiful in the beginning. The girls had it decorated so wonderfully! But then the ornaments started to weigh the branches down. Some fell off. The tree started looking more limp by the day. The water level wasn't going down much at all. So yesterday I completely emptied the tree of its decorations and Dh took it outside and cut off an inch from the trunk. We sat it in a bucket of water, with high hopes that it would start pulling up some water and refresh itself. A whole day later and it looks the same. Sad and droopy. Did we wait too long to try? We can't afford a new tree. I think it's doubtful this one will make it till New Year's Day. WWYD?

 

[Trillian]

I don't think a fresh tree would have lasted from Thanksgiving weekend to New Years anyway? We live in an arid area, so they definitely don't here, I'm not sure about other areas? I don't think they will come back :-(

[Aurelia]

Yes, it's been too long. Just try not to have anyone brush it or bump so the needles and branches don't break off, but it will stay droopy looking.

[Jilly]

No advice, but the same thing happened to us, except we did cut a slice off the bottom, and still the tree has hardly taken in any water. I read that when that happens it means the tree was cut down a long time ago. I am debating whether to buy another one or not. I don't want to spend the money, but I can't stand my sad looking tree.

[Blueridge]

Oh stink! I sure wish we had gone to a tree farm instead of Lowes. Now poor Dh has lost one of the 4 screws that holds the tree stand together. He is not a happy camper.

[TravelingChris]

We have always had real Christmas trees. The earliest we have ever bought one is mid December since they won't last from Thanksgiving to New Years. We have never had a problem with drooping limbs but then we always have recut the bottom except last year when we just cut down a tree on our own at a tree farm. We will do the same this year.

[lynn]

Lowes may exchange it for you. Do you have the receipt?

[OrganicAnn]

It also helps if you keep the room cool that the tree is located in. Warm rooms will cause the tree to wilt. Also these days they tend to 'dye' the trees so you really can't tell how fresh or brown they are.

 

I would put up the artificial and cut up the real tree and use the best branches in vases of water to give the house the pine smell.

[AK_Mom4]

Since this is a WWYD question.... I would just leave it up, all nicely decorated, and watch all the needles fall out (complaining quietly about it in my head each day). My kids would rather have an ugly dead tree than no tree at all. Think "Charlie Brown tree" and try to enjoy it.

 

Sorry about your tree. That's a bummer!

[Blueridge]

Thank you all. Dh went to the local market and found a screw to replace the missing one. Then he cut another inch off the tree bottom and stuck it back in its water bucket. Being out on the cool front porch seems to have perked it up a bit. I know we're grasping at straws...or limbs...but it made him happy to keep trying. Tomorrow we'll probably just put it back up and hope for the best.

[jenangelcat]

My only concern with leaving it up would be that it is more of a fire hazard when it's dead and dry.

 

Our trees need to be refilled daily, they suck back a lot of water when they are fresh.

[Paige]

Fresh trees don't last from Thanksgiving to New Year's even if you cut it the right way. I would do as the previous poster suggested and just leave it alone for now and take it down right after Christmas. It will drop needles and droop but it probably won't get much worse than what you see now. We got our tree last year and for a variety of reasons left it up way too long for a real tree. It drooped and dropped needles but it did much better than I would have thought. Because you know it is dry, you should be sure to turn the lights out when you leave the house and before you go to bed.

[Chocolate Rose]

Just wanted to say that we always got our tree the day after Thanksgiving and it lasted well past New Year's. We got them from a U-cut tree farm. We always cut an inch or more off before putting it in the water. So, from my experience, it wasn't that you got it too early (unless it had been cut way before you bought it), but that you didn't know to cut a slice from the trunk. So sorry this happened to you!!

We moved 4 1/2 years ago and have been using a fake tree ever since. I really miss the fresh trees!

[LaxMom]

My only concern with leaving it up would be that it is more of a fire hazard when it's dead and dry.

 

Our trees need to be refilled daily, they suck back a lot of water when they are fresh.

 

Yup. Here, it would be out on the porch without so much as a discussion. My husband was on the fire that killed the toddler grandchild of one of his colleagues a few years back. (in the middle of the day, everyone up and puttering around the house) No dodgy trees allowed in our house, and a fresh cut tree has a tolerance span of only a couple weeks. It's not worth it.

[Blueridge]

Thank you for the wise warning. We actually got these cool lights last year that don't get hot. Even then, we just plug them up for a few hours in the evening and then unplug. Well, it looks like I will be re-decorating the poor thing tomorrow. Maybe if I put leftover coffee in the tree stand it might perk right up! :laugh: Nah, the coffee is all mine!