Tips on selecting, caring for a live Christmas tree

At our home, I prefer the look and smell of a live Christmas tree.

When choosing a Christmas tree, select one with firm needles that don’t drop off when you lift the tree a few inches and drop it to the ground. A small number of needles dropping is normal.

The bottom of the stump should be moist with some sap present, though I do not always see this in the trees I purchase.

Trees that were cut many weeks ago will drop their needles shortly after being brought indoors. The trees that retain their needles the longest are the balsam and white firs; red, white and Scots pines; and Douglas fir.

Once the tree is at home, cut another 2 inches or so off the stump and immediately put the tree into your stand with water.

Make sure the stand is full of water each day. A freshly cut tree can take up as much as a gallon of water in a day and you may need to refill the basin more than once daily for the first few days after installing the tree inside. If left in a stand without water, the tree will form a seal across the stump that prevents it from taking up any more water.

Dry trees can become serious fire hazards. Keep live Christmas trees away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators and furnace vents and check daily for water to maintain the tree in the best possible condition.

Poinsettias are poplar holiday plants. They like lots of bright, indirect sunlight. They are sensitive to extreme temperatures, so it is best to keep them away from cold drafts and heat vents. Daytime temperatures of 65 degrees Fahrenheit work well for prolonging the display of the colored bracts. Water the plants thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. There is no need to fertilize them during the holiday season.

Put a saucer at the bottom of plant pots that are on display to prevent water from running all over after watering. Standing water and moisture that can build up under a pot without a saucer may damage wood furniture surfaces. I learned the hard way that a terra cotta plant saucer transmits moisture to the surface beneath it (when a wooden piece of furniture beneath the saucer was damaged).

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.