Setup and Care for your Real Tree

Before you leave our farm we will give your tree a fresh cut, drill a hole in the base for the Yule stand system, and bail your tree to make it easier to handle. 

• When you get your tree home place the trunk in a bucket of water and store the tree in your garage or on a porch.  Try to store the tree out of the wind and direct sunlight where it will stay cool until you are ready to put the tree up.  
• Leave your tree bailed until you put it up in your stand.
• Any time your tree is without water for an hour or more the sap in the trunk will harden and seal the trunk, preventing water uptake.  This is why you should always make a fresh cut immediately before placing your tree in water.  A 1/4 inch is all that is required.
• When you are ready to set your tree up bring it in the house and lay the tree on its side.  If you are using a tree removal bag place the bag over the trunk prior to installing the stand.
• Place the spike of your  Yule stand in the pre-drilled hole in the trunk and tap in place with a hammer.  The end of the trunk should be about 1/4 - 1/2 inch up from the plastic water bucket.
• Stand the tree up right and fill the stand with water then carefully cut the bailing string of the tree.  Use care with larger trees there can be a lot of pressure on the strings.
• A tree typically will consume 1 to 4 quarts of water a day. Be sure not to let the tree run out of water or the sap will seal the trunk, we sell several accessories to aid in keeping your tree watered.
• When you are ready to take your tree down let the water in the bucket run out, pull the tree removal bag over the tree, and lay the tree on its side.  With the tree on it side spin the legs of the Yule stand until it comes loose from the tree.  Wash the stand out and store for another year.  Never leave the stand laying around with the exposed spike pointed up.
• Your tree can be used in your outdoor landscape for the rest of the winter or it can be recycle immediately by having the tree chipped.