Looking after your Christmas tree
Purchasing and decorating a real Christmas tree is one of the most exciting things to do in the festive season - and there's nothing like a real tree from Forestry and Land Scotland! Join us as we take you through five top tips for looking after your real tree when you bring it home.
1. Pick the perfect tree!
Without a doubt, the best Christmas tree is one that is all-natural, sustainably grown and will fill your house with the fresh scent of the forest. The best way to do this in Scotland is to visit one of our Christmas tree sales centres and pick the perfect tree!
Now you've chosen your tree, follow the rest of our top tips to keep it at its glorious best throughout the festive season...
2. Give it a wee trim
When you get home, stand your tree in a bucket of water and keep it in a cool place like a garage or shed until it's ready to take indoors for decorating. Before you move the tree inside, cut off at least one inch (2.5 cm) from the bottom of the trunk and gently shake to remove any loose needles.
3. Stand up tall
Use a special stand, which can be bought from some of our centres, and pot the tree with the trunk immersed in water. Do not use sand or soil, because this will stop water being absorbed.
4. Stay cool!
Put your Christmas tree in the coolest part of the room, ideally next to a window. If possible, keep away from radiators - the trees are naturally cold-resistant so relocating them indoors to too warm a space might dry your tree out.
5. Water daily
Looking this good is thirsty work! You don't need plant food or any other gimmicks or tricks - just fresh water every single day to keep those needles bright, healthy and - most importantly - on the tree.
Recycling your tree
After Christmas is over, you can recycle your tree. Follow the links below to find out about Council recycling services near our sales centres: