Can we talk Christmas trees

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Jason

Senior Member
Location
Carnaby Street
We have always had fake trees, which would be pulled out of the loft at the beginning of December. This year,for reasons neither of us can fathom,we wish to get real!
What: 6 footer and green
Variety: clueless
Stand: does it come with one or another expense
Maintenance: how do I stop the needles falling out before the 26th February ;-]

any other tips appreciated ...
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Get a "Non-Drop" one. They are supposed to keep their needles longer. We put ours in a large bucket of gravel. There's an annual ritual of effing and blinding as I try and make the tree stay upright while grubbing about on the floor. Then the family sets about with the decorations and the placing of the much loved one-legged fairy who lives on the top of the tree.

BTW, real trees smell wonderful. Have fun.
 
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PK99

Legendary Member
Location
SW19
the placing of the much loved one-legged fairy who lives on the top of the tree.

.

do you know the real story behind the Fairy atop the Xmas tree.

I'll shorten it... Santa and his helper arrived back in Santa Land after a long and arduous night delivering presents, and his little helper noticed they had one present left - an Xmas tree - and asked what they should do with it. That is why there is a fairy atop the Xmas tree.....
 
you'll need a Christmas tree stand. Ours is a decorated box with metal stand in the center and a thick metal 'pin' sticking up to hold the trunk off the bottom. It works really well. But you can use a bucket and simply wrap paper around it, hwever they can fall over easily. The better ones clamp onto the trunk on 2 sides and are semi circular and more importantly allow you to put the tree in water. It is after all a living plant, and will only shed needles if it runs dry or is too hot (central heating is a killer!)... you will need to keep toppign up the water supply on a daily basis initially. On the bright side you don' have to fight with the +35C temps our real Christmas tree has to... it goes through water at a rate of knots.

I have always had the freshly sawn ones, not lifted ones. I have no desire to plant it in the garden after using it (no idea why but where...), provided you keep it away from a radiator, fire, any other source of heat, and keep it well watered we have had little problems with them dropping needles.

be prepared to fork out a lot of money. they are not cheap.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
We have always had a real tree, and gone to various different places to get them from B&Q, local scouts, pop up shops selling them, forestry commission or garden centre. It was a ritual that Mr Summerdays grew to hate more and more each year, as we would stand there looking at the different options, size, shape, type, cost.

So two years ago he bought a potted one and then planted it in garden. He's dug it up in preparation to bring it in in the next day or so.

As others have said, having a base you can put lots off water in is very useful, ours drank lots. And it had 3 screw in bolts that were used to clamp the tree... I think it's about £25 but it's years since we bought it.
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
If you want a stand that actually works. I can recommend a Krinner. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Krinner-Basic-Christmas-Tree-Stand/dp/B00CHW7W50
We have the same and having tried 3 over a number of years, this one is the best.
 

slowwww

Veteran
Location
Surrey
If you buy one that's been sawn off, always cut a further couple of inches off the bottom and then stand it in a bucket of water outside for 12 hours or more and that'll delay the dropping of the needles
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
Down in London the trees are quite pricey.
We have a very nice 7 footer but it cost £45.
We buy ours in early December and keep it in a bucket of water in the garden for a week before bring it inside.
 
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