Preventing Christmas Tree needles everywhere

[TimSJ]

just about time to start to put up the Christmas Tree. anyone have any special recipes to help keep the needles from falling off too fast. We have always just added water but someone the other day said to me they add Sprite to the water and swears it helps keep the tree from drying out so fast.

anyone have anything else that they do to help keep the tree fresh longer?

[transplant99]

There is a tree food i used to buy when we got real trees...seemed to help a lot. Also it has a whole lot to do with how fresh the ree is...one year we got one that looked fantastic, but was so far gone it wouldnt take the water...the cat had a frickin blast that year with the pine needles.

[You Need a Thneed]

Getting a fresh tree is really important. My parent have gone to cut down their own tree for quite a few years now, and often they've had the tree growing new needles bty the time they take it down.

[IntenseFan]

I've been a fake tree guy since I've been on my own. But one trick we used to employ at home was to take a bit of sand paper to the very based of the tree for about 30 seconds. The water-ways on the base of the tree (even a freshly cut one) tend to get clogged up while it sits on the ground in the lot, and the sand paper opens them up a bit.Another approach would be to cut a very small portion of the base off, just like a flower stem, for the same result. But I've never tried that one myself.

[SportsJunky]

[zukes]

Sugar in the water works pretty well. Also doing a fresh cut doesn't hurt.

[Buff]

When you need to replenish the water levels simply pour in a can of ginger ale.

[Burninator]

I think they tested this on Mythbusters.

[yads]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I think they tested this on Mythbusters.

And?

[sclitheroe]

If you convert to Islam there will be no more issues with pine needles.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by yads

And?

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by adding fertilizer.
busted
Fertilized Christmas trees lost the most amount of leaves and its leaves became very discolored.

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by adding bleach.
plausible
Tied with nitric oxide at least amount of needles lost, but the tree looked sickly.

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by adding lemon-lime soda.
busted
Results were similar to the control.

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by adding pain reliever.
busted
Results were similar to the control.

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by adding nitric oxide (from Viagra).
plausible
Tied with bleach at least amount of needles lost, but the tree looked sickly.

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by adding hairspray.
plausible
Declared the winner for being both the best looking and among the best in terms of controlling needle loss, though the added flammability of the hairspray to the drying Christmas tree could increase the tree’s natural fire hazard risk.

You can keep needles from falling of the Christmas tree by urethane.
busted
Results were similar to the control.

http://mythbustersresults.com/special10

Control was normal water.

[Titan]

I always make sure to do a fresh cut. I add water and sugar as well.

Anyone know where you can go to cut your own tree? A farm or government land somewhere? A neighbour you don't like?

[ken0042]

Just thinking out loud here- what about using the plant food that you get at flower shops?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Titan

I always make sure to do a fresh cut. I add water and sugar as well.

Anyone know where you can go to cut your own tree? A farm or government land somewhere? A neighbour you don't like?

My extended family does it out by Chain Lakes - south of Longview, west of Nanton. I know they get a permit somehow, but I don't know where they get it.

This should help you out.