For a fresh fragrant tree, treat your tree as carefully
as you would a bouguet of fine cut flowers. Before mounting the tree
in the tree stand, rinse the stand's water container with one capful
of bleach in one cupful of water. This treatment will reduce the growth
of mold that can block the tree's ability to absorb water. Cut one-half
inch from the base of the tree and place in the stand with water as
soon as possible. Add water daily and do not let the water level drop
to the level of the cut end of the trunk.
Water uptake in any living plant
is by a physical process called capillary action. When a tree is cut
the pores are filled with liquid but if the tree is allowed to dry on
a lot--or in a house--air pockets form and water uptake stops. There
is a point of no return in which case nothing can be done to induce
the tree to again take up water. All trees eventually stop taking up
water and dry out, some species of trees much sooner than others.
While a tree is taking up water
it is also producing and transporting nutrients to the root system,
or in the case of a cut tree, into the tree stand. These nutrients will
support the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms on the base
of the tree trunk and this growth will eventually plug the pores and
water uptake will be hindered.
We have found that the microbial
growth can be prevented by the addition of chlorine bleach to the water
in the tree stand. The question is how much is enough and how much is
too much? We have tried several concentrations and times of addition
of bleach and suggest the addition of no more than two teaspoons per
gallon of water initially, followed by no more than one eighth of a
teaspoon per gallon of water thereafter. (Note: Adding too much
bleach may cause early browning and dropping of needles.) We have
tried bleach with white pine, fraser fir and other varieties without
any negative side effects. The only bleach that we have tried is Regular
Clorox, active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite. IF YOU ADD BLEACH, DO
NOT ADD ANY OTHER MATERIALS TO THE WATER.
A
Christmas tree farm near Atlanta Georgia
