We all know about trimming the trunk on a fresh tree and standing it in water. Here's advice I heard on a radio gardening show: Buy your tree early. They're all harvested at the same time, the longer it sits without water (waiting to be sold) the drier it gets.
Once home, bring it under shelter where it won't freeze, trim the trunk at least one inch, immediately stand in plain water.
Now here's the part new to me: Spray it all over with water and repeat every day until it's time to decorate. The reasoning goes like this. As the tree warms up processes start within it that require water. Substantial uptake is through the foliage (needles) if water vapor is available.
Our tree is in the cellar right now undergoing this treatment. I also sprayed the undecorated wreath destined for the front door. It will get waterproof decorations so I can continue to spray it after it is in place.
Of course you can't spray the tree anymore once it comes upstairs. But it should be well hydrated.
Once the tree is put in place and before you decorate it, you can buy a spray at the garden centre/center which stops the needles
falling. I've also been told that hairspray does the same thing.
We always left out tree out in the snow after it was cut and then brought it in the cellar just long enough for the snow to melt off and then we put it up.
Along this same line on Xmas trees, I never used a bag for my tree before last year. Boy were they nice! You set the bag up under the tree stand and when you put the tree up the skirt hides it. When you are ready to get rid of the tree, pull the bag up and no more needle mess.
