O Christmas Tree: Taking Care of Your Christmas Trees During the Holidays

While they bring light and joy to the season before December 25, Christmas trees tend to be little more than a needle-dropping nuisance after the special day has passed. Most people are pretty ready to see their trees gone by New Year’s Eve, and wonder how to dispose of them properly.

Beforehand, while you’re still basking in the tree’s twinkly glow, it’s good to know how to maintain your tree so it remains as pretty and hassle-free as possible. Below, we’ll talk Christmas tree care during the holiday season, and the best ways to recycle your tree afterward.

Maintaining Your Tree

First and foremost, you’ve got to water your tree. If it gets thirsty, your tree is likely to drop needles and make a mess in your home, so don’t let that happen. Instead, place your tree in a stand large enough to hold a quart of water per inch of stem diameter, and water frequently, making sure the bottom of the tree is never above the water line.

Of course, some needle drop is natural. You can keep the base of the tree clear by sweeping or vacuuming, You can also decrease the number of lost needles by keeping your tree away from heat sources, and keeping only water in the tree stand. Despite some advice that says to add aspirin, soft drinks, honey or “other concoctions,” all you need to keep your tree healthy is nice, fresh water, says Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Recycling Your Tree

You can recycle or compost Christmas trees as well as natural wreaths or other swag, provided you remove all non-organic materials (lights, tinsel, etc.). You can either take them to a drop-off location, or have a tree service pick them up for you for a small fee.

Premier Tree Solutions is a growing tree removal business based in Atlanta, Georgia that offers tree recycling. We specialize in a variety of other tree-related services, including tree removal, trimming and pruning, Bobcat work, storm damage response and storm cleanup, stump grinding, branch clearing, debris removal and general tree and shrub cleanup.

If you would like to combine other services with our tree pickup service, all you have to do is let us know. We’ll be happy to help you get your yard ready for the coming gardening season. Call us at 404.252.6448 to set up an appointment or get a quote today.

Just Hanging Out: How to Safely Hang a Hammock

While hammocks are a wonderful way to relax and enjoy a day off or unwind after a long stint at work, they can also be dangerous.

Drill, don’t wrap

First, it’s crucial that you hang hammocks from sturdy structures. Porch posts work well, as do solid trees. However, if you’re hanging a hammock from a tree, don’t make the mistaking of wrapping the rope around the tree. This can girdle the tree, destroying bark and the tree’s flow of nutrients. Girdling usually results in the death of the tree above the girdled area.

Instead, use a drill to insert eye hooks in the tree, and then hang the hammock. It’s a much safer way for the tree, as well as stronger and more stable for the hammock.

Use trunks, not branches

Newbies are often tempted to hang hammocks from limbs and branches, but the safest way to hang a hammock is to attach it to the trunk. Trunks are less likely to be damaged by the weight of the hammock and more likely to show signs of problems before hazards arise. For instance, if you see a split along the trunk around the eyehook, it likely means the tree isn’t strong enough to bear the weight.

Test for strength

Before hanging a hammock from a tree, it’s important to check out the entire specimen. Even if the trunk is strong enough to hold the hammock, damage can still occur if a tree has unstable limbs up above and they fall on the user of the hammock. Look for dead branches (usually apparent from dead leaves on a single branch, when other branches have healthy foliage). Cracks and splits at the crotches of branches also indicate a problem.

If you notice an issue when you’re searching for just the right tree to hang your hammock, contact the experts at Premier Tree Solutions. We’ll scan and assess the rest of your yard for potential problems or hazards so we can stop them before they start.