Vince Guaraldi’s version of O Tannenbaum and any piece from The Nutcracker form the central core of my December soundtrack. It’s just not Christmas chez moi without certain music and greenery of some sort, preferably a tree or a wreath in a pinch. Unless you relish the job of cleaning up drifts of dry needles (like those shed by the sad Christmas tree selected by Charlie Brown before its transformation by the Peanuts gang) read on for some tips on preserving your greens.

Whether you buy a live Christmas tree, a cut one, an armload of branches or fresh garland, there are some techniques to make such festive holiday décor remain jolly and cheerful longer. The most important and challenging goal is to preserve moisture levels.

If you’ve purchased a live tree from a nursery where it lived outside until you took it home, it’s going to need time to adjust to its eventual indoor home. Plan on about four days of acclimatization; starting with a day outdoors then gradually moving the tree to an enclosed porch or garage before its final destination indoors. Water the tree well and give it a protective coating with an anti-dessicant such as Wilt-Pruf. Follow the instructions on the label. Keep the tree watered, but not soggy, during its indoor stay

As with any indoor plant life, make sure no animal or human nibbles on it. This might mean restricting unsupervised access since most cats I know — and every toddler — seems irresistibly drawn to Christmas trees. The best place for any sort of tree is the coolest part of the room away from direct sunlight (and possibly behind a closed door until a suitable security detail can be dispatched) to support your preservation efforts.

A live tree will probably last about 10 days indoors before it starts to sulk. After its merry visit to your home, reverse the acclimatization process to the great outdoors. If you plan on installing the tree in your own yard, make sure you’ve got the planting hole prepared in advance.

The same basic process can be applied to other live holiday greens. Refresh a cut tree by trimming off about one inch from the trunk. Place the tree immediately in a stand that holds about a gallon of water. Whenever possible I prefer to hose down the needles of a cut tree and apply Wilt-Pruf once the needles dry off. Always keep the base of the tree in water. Plain old tap water works fine; there’s no need to add anything.

A constant water supply is essential for keeping your Christmas tree looking good throughout the season. Proper watering is just as important for your houseplants, especially in winter when many plants are not actively growing.

I find that describing proper watering technique is one of the trickiest horticultural skills to convey. Most houseplant problems I have seen come from some form of water torture; whether it’s overwatering or the opposite. “Water it when it feels dry” is a good standby. Another good guideline is to water deeply and infrequently. Many homes are drier in the winter which can make spider mites very happy so do what you can to increase humidity. A cool mist humidifier in the vicinity of your plants works well.

You can prevent many houseplant troubles by keeping your home’s temperature on the cooler side (it’s also better for your complexion) rather than too hot. And consider grouping houseplants together to help increase humidity but not too close to each other. Proper air circulation is very important in preventing disease so don’t pack them in like sardines and use a small fan if necessary. A ceiling fan is even better.

General December gardening tips
•    Water your houseplants and newly acquired holiday plants carefully (i.e.; don’t overwater) and give them plenty of light and air.
•    Keep your eyes peeled for insects. They can multiply rapidly in warm, cozy indoor habitats.
•    Feed and provide a consistent source of water for birds.
Gentle readers may submit questions and I will do my best to answer them intelligently.

Jacqueline Murphy, the proprietor of Garden Calls, garden guru service, offers “horticultural therapy”, garden design and staging expertise for residential landscapes with a focus on sustainable design. A Smith College graduate, horticulturist and writer, Jacqueline has written for Fine Gardening magazine and books published by Reader’s Digest and Time Life. The garden guru is in and may be reached here: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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