(Photo By Flickr User Bill Abbott)

“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches!”

Around this time every year, many who opt to use real trees find they dry out before the height of the season!

Here are a five ways to extend the life of your tree:

1) Cut a quarter inch off the trunk before you put it in the stand, and go straight across. Cutting at an angle actually makes it harder for the tree to absorb water. And drilling a hole in the bottom doesn’t help either. (Reminder: You don’t need to do it at all if your tree was cut down less than 12 hours ago.)

2) Don’t whittle down the sides of the trunk to make it fit in the stand. The outer layers of the tree actually soak up the most water. So if your tree doesn’t fit, you should buy a bigger stand. Or just measure your stand before you buy the tree.

3) Make sure you add enough water. Measure the diameter of the trunk, and add one quart for every inch. Then add more each day to keep it at the same level. Most stands hold at least a one gallon (four quarts).

4) Keep the tree away from heat sources. Don’t put it near your fireplace or right next to any heating vents. Too much direct sunlight can dry it out, too.

5) Some types of trees just last longer than others. If you haven’t bought one yet and want it to last, go with a white pine, Scotch pine, white fir, Fraser fir, or a Colorado blue spruce.

Happy Christmas Tree hunting & Season’s Greetings!!