Celebrity gardener, David Domoney, shares his top tips for preparing a real Christmas tree ahead of the festivities – and has also come armed to debunk one of the most common misconceptions when buying them.
The festive season is right around the corner and before we know it, we'll truly be decking the halls. While there's a good chunk of us who prefer to just go down the route of snapping up the best artificial Christmas tree and calling it a day (guilty), there are many who love the task of caring for a real Christmas tree during the holiday season.
Given that this weekend is the one in which all Christmas trees come into Britain, David Domoney has some bits of advice he urges we all ought to know about before bringing a real Christmas tree back home.
David Domoney real Christmas tree tips
Speaking with Ideal Home on real Christmas tree care tips, we asked the English chartered horticulturist for the absolute best tip he can give someone to care for a real fir this season, to which he responded regarding the best time to buy a real Christmas tree.
'Here's the big tip,' starts David. 'All Christmas trees come into Britain on the same weekend, which is the last weekend in November. So those who are saying: 'I'll wait until just before Christmas so I get a fresher tree' – it's the same tree that will be in the garden centre, but less choice,' he warns.
You hear that, folks? There is no such thing as a 'fresher tree' per se. What you really end up risking is being spoilt for choice when the time to choose a Christmas tree rolls around.
'So what you want to do is buy your tree early.'
David Domoney's real Christmas tree care tips
'Bring it back and cut an inch off the bottom of the stump,' continues David. 'It's the same thing you do with cut flowers to expose the tissue so the plant can take up water because once it's cut, it starts to heal the same way we scab, if you know what I mean.'
'Then, put the tree into a bucket of water in your garden. I'd take the netting off so the tree starts to open again and just leave it in your garden.'
Now, comes the part of waiting if you're after a fresher-looking tree...
'At the latest time possible – the later, the fresher it will look – you bring it inside, continues David. 'Put it in a Christmas tree stand that has a mixture of water and sugar in it because it will the food from the sugar. Then place it away from any heat sources like a radiator or the like.'
David even recommends checking out NeedleFresh.co.uk which represents a lot of British growers, where you can find lots of great advice and videos on there on what to do to help bring your many Christmas tree ideas to life.
He concludes, 'Just make sure your tree is topped up with water as it will look fresher throughout the Christmas months for longer.'
David is currently supporting Greene King's Proud to Pitch In scheme, speaking on the importance of pitch quality and maintenance for grassroots sports. If you are part of a grassroots sports team and want to learn more about Proud to Pitch In, visit: https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/proud-to-pitch-in/.
