Didi Doolittle from Vail, Coloradi shares a great "recipe" to keep your Christmas tree happy and healthy this holiday season.  She also explains why the mixture works so well.

Happy Holidays to one and all!

Via Didi Doolittle (Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate, Solaris Vail Office):

A little Christmas Tree Safety Reminder

Oh, Christmas Tree

I’m sure that many of you are getting ready to, if you haven’t already, put up your Christmas tree.  Have you ever wondered if there might be a way to keep that tree moist as long as you can?  

Well, here are some helpful tips from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service for keeping your Christmas Tree happy and healthy this holiday season.  Do be careful if you follow this recipe and have pets, we don’t want Fido drinking this fire-preventing mixture. 

TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR TREE STAY MOIST LONGER:

When you get home, re-cut the end of the tree by 1 inch and let it stand in a bucket of the "Christmas Tree Life Extending Formula" (recipe below) until you’re ready to bring it indoors. Fill the tree stand reservoir twice a day (morning and evening) with the remaining mixture.

"FIRE MINIMIZING " MIXTURE"

·                           2 gals. of hot water

·                           2 cups corn syrup

·                           2 oz. liquid bleach

·                           2 pinches epsom salts

·                           1/2 tsp. borax

·                           1 tsp. chelated iron (available at garden shops)

HOW DOES THIS "FIRE-MINIMIZING" MIXTURE WORK?

The corn syrup provides sugar, which allows the tree to soak up a lot more water than it normally would. Without sugar, only a small amount of water is absorbed by the branches and needles. You can expect the tree to soak up 1-1/2 gallons of the recipe during the 10 to 14 day period your tree is up, which is about 800 percent more water than it would have absorbed growing in the forest.

The boron (in the borax) makes the water and sugar move to every needle of your tree. The epsom salts and chelated iron provide magnesium sulfate which helps chlorophyll production, keeping your needles green. Bleach stops mold from forming when water and sugar stand too long in the tree holder.

 

Content made available at the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region Website: Tips for Christmas Trees in the Rocky Mountains.

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Didi Doolittle  I   Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate  I  Solaris Vail Office
www.VailRealEstateInfo.com  I  ddoolittle@slifer.net 
o:970.477.5703  c:970.232.8225  toll free:888.412.6620

   

 

 

 

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Donna Foerster

The Foerster Team

Rocky Mountain Real Estate Advisors

www.TheFoersterTeam.com

720-530-5554 (cell)

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5 Comments on Christmas Trees in the Rocky Mountains

DEC
08
2010
120,850 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

One of my good friends lost a home to a Christmas tree fire two years ago. This advice is appreciated.
10:25pm • #1
553,088 Points 20 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hello John~ What an awful thing to happen to your friend.  It's SO important to be careful weather you have a real tree or an artificial tree.  Thanks for stopping by.
10:29pm • #2
DEC
10
2010
1,100,093 Points 25 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Donna, I reblogged this as well as Didi provided some good advice on Christmas trees.
9:10pm • #3
DEC
11
2010
365,415 Points 12 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Donna, I stopped putting up a real tree years ago. Now I have 3 simple rules: 1) roll it out of storage, 2) unwrap it, 3) plug it in.  BUT this year I did have someone from a local store called St. Nicks send out two guys to check it out and make sure there wasn't something I should be concerned about. Never can be too safe!  PS: thought you were on vacation??? You are truly an AR addict!
2:02am • #4
553,088 Points 20 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Rebecca~ Didi did provide some excellent information.  Anyone planning to have a live tree needs to know this!

Hi Ruth~ I can't even remember the last time I had a live tree.  They smell wonderful, but there's too much maintenance.

BTW, I must not be an addict, it's been at least 48 hours since I've been on and I almost didn't get on tonight.  I'm TIRED!
11:19pm • #5

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