Certain varieties hold their needles better than others. Most firs such as Noble, Grand, Frazier, Nordmann and Douglas hold their needles better than Spruce and Pine. Although almost all trees will naturally have a few brown needles in the center of the tree, the outside green needles should not be easily dislodged by shaking, thumping or brushing the tree. Feel the needles to see if they are soft and flexible.
The sooner a tree is placed in a water-holding tree stand, the longer the needles will remain soft and flexible. So it pays to buy a tree early in the season. If you can’t bring it into the house for a while, store it in an unheated garage or shed instead of outside. Cut a quarter- to a half-inch off the bottom and place it into the stand or a bucket of water. If the end dries out for more than a few hours, a fresh cut should be made. This will allow the open tubes to absorb water more readily. A freshly recut Christmas tree can absorb a gallon of water in a day or two. As soon as the tree is inside, the water should be checked regularly and refilled so that the bottom of the trunk is always under water.
Anti-desiccant such as Wilt-Pruf covers needles with a rubberized coating which reduces water loss. Some nurseries can dip trees in anti-desiccant, or it can purchased in a spray can. Flocking also reduces water loss on Christmas trees.
Living, potted trees can be purchased and planted later outside. If you don’t have room for a tree that will grow to 50 feet select a shorter variety that will fit your landscape such as Hinoki cypress, Alpine fir or Mountain hemlock. Trees can only be kept inside for 10 to 12 days or they will start to grow and then be subject to freeze damage outside. Dig a planting hole right now and then plant them in the ground right after Christmas.
