How to choose a healthy Christmas tree?
4 rules that everyone who wants to take home a healthy Christmas tree should know.
1. Health safety
Natural fir tree
• Be careful – chemical treatment against pests in the bark of the tree or storage of its commercial form can create a health hazard.
• The smell of the Christmas tree should be natural.
• Ask the seller for a bio-certificate for the tree.
Artificial Christmas Tree
• The lower the price of the artificial tree, the more poor quality materials and toxic plasticizers it is made of. Read its instructions for use.
• In the USA, it is forbidden by law to buy artificial Christmas trees cheaper than 23 dollars, because they are made of waste, some of which is even carcinogenic and increases the risk of malignant diseases many times over.
• Before you buy such a Christmas tree, smell it – it should not smell of paints or chemicals.
2. Quality
Natural Christmas Tree
When buying such a Christmas tree, hit it in the ground where it was cut down, if a lot of needles fall as a result, this means, that the tree is old.In recently cut fir trees, the branches bend but do not break.
If a tree has been cut down a long time ago, its branches break easily. This may be an indication that it has been frozen.
Artificial Christmas tree
If its needles are soft, then run your hand between them in the opposite direction, if everything is fine, they should return to their original position and also not start to they are falling.
If the needles on the Christmas tree are hard, then it is necessary to gently pull a few of them. If the artificial tree is of good quality, the needles will not come off.
3. Fire safety
The Christmas tree must be fire resistant, i.e. fire resistant. The optimal option is the material from which it is made with added flame retardants that prevent the occurrence of fire.
The Christmas tree should be placed as far as possible from any heating appliances.
The room must be regularly well ventilated. The Christmas tree must stand firmly on the floor so as not to cause injury to a family member if it is accidentally hung.
Candles
Do not place lighted candles near the branches of the tree, from prolonged exposure to high temperature, the needles may start to smolder.
A sparkler should not be lit near the Christmas tree, as it may cause a fire. The distance between the fire source and the Christmas tree must be no less than a meter so that sparks from it do not fall on the needles.
Garlands
Electric garlands when purchased must come with a certificate on which the number of the fire certificate is marked.
This means that the garlands have been tested in a fire laboratory. Always switch off the garlands when you go to sleep or go outside.
4. Storage and Care
Natural Christmas Tree
• If you immediately put the natural Christmas tree in a warm place, its needles may start to fall due to the temperature difference. It is best to leave the natural Christmas tree in a cool place and then bring it into a warmer room.
• To keep the natural Christmas tree fresh for a longer time, mix it with the sand in which you will place it, aspirin, it will serve as an antiseptic against putrefactive bacteria, sugar and salt – this will be the food for the living tree.
• Before placing the live tree in the sand, you should remove its bark 10 centimeters from the place where it was cut, so that it can better absorb nutrients.
• Water the Christmas tree once every two days with water with ¼ aspirin tablet added.
To collect easily the dripping pins, you can use a wide tape. The artificial Christmas tree is best stored in a tightly closed package, otherwise it will collect dust, dirt and insects.
