You’re probably not watering your Christmas tree enough – CNET

Giving your Christmas tree the right amount of water is vital to it staying healthy looking throughout the holiday season. Plenty of water will prevent needles from falling off the branches and will keep the tree from turning brown.

It’s also important to keep your tree well-watered to avoid fires. A dry tree is extremely flammable. Between 2011 and 2015, there was an average of 200 home fires started by Christmas trees each year in the United States.  

Now that you know how important watering is, here are some tips.

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Start at the tree lot 

Most tree lots will slice off the end of your tree’s trunk, but if they don’t offer, ask them to cut off about 1 inch before you leave.

Once cut down from its roots, the cut on the tree’s trunk will start to close, preventing it from soaking up water. A fresh cut will make it easier for the tree to drink water when you bring it home.

Get the right stand

Then, choose a base that can hold one quart of water per inch of stem diameter, according to the Department of Entomology at Penn State. Typically, a stand that holds around 1 gallon of water at a time will be plenty.

Water daily

Next, be sure to refill the base every single day. No skimping on this rule. Trees need a lot of water. 

Also, avoid putting additives in the water. They don’t help, no matter what the label says. Like you, your tree needs fresh water.

If you follow these tips, your tree should last around four weeks.

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