Tips to keep your Christmas tree fresh

Home Depot offers simple ideas to keep tree nice all season long

BALTIMORE —Most Christmas-lovers have their Christmas trees up and decorated by now, but do you worry about keeping it fresh?

With weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's, fresh-cut Christmas trees can start to lose their needles and turn brown if people don't attend to them properly. According to experts at The Home Depot, there are simple ways to keep your tree looking fresh all through the holiday season.

First, add two cups of corn syrup, one cup of dissolved sugar or a can of a lemon-lime acidic soft drink (not diet) to the Christmas tree water to help preserve it. Additional fresheners include lemon juice and vinegar.

Experts said adding a penny or aspirin, which act as acidifiers and fungicides in the solution, also helps the tree better absorb the mixture.

Next, make sure you change the sugar solution every five days, and be sure to keep the water level above the base of the tree.

Also, be sure to keep the tree away from fireplaces and heating vents. If it does happen to be near a vent, close it to keep it in good shape.