Photo: Mike Raia
So, you’ll be bringing a cut Christmas tree indoors for the holiday season. What additive should you put in the water to make it last longer?
I’ve seen such recommendations as a copper penny, aspirin, Seven-Up, sugar, honey, bleach, birth control pills, distilled water and fertilizer. Plus, you’ll find Christmas tree preservatives, apparently designed just for that purpose, in any hardware store. Which is best?
You’ll find that any serious, non-partisan study always comes to the conclusion that plain tap water is just fine: you really don’t need to add anything.
Do recut the base before you bring the tree indoors (this will open the pores to allow better water absorption) and do keep the base of the trunk constantly in water, but other than that, just relax and enjoy your tree!