Tips to Make Your Christmas Tree Last Longer

Having a Christmas tree is a popular way to get into that holiday spirit every year. These days people are starting to decorate soon after Thanksgiving, however it can be difficult to make your live Christmas tree last through the whole month until the Christmas holiday actually arrives. But have no fear; there are a few things that you can do to help your tree stick around for the month without having to celebrate with an unfit tree for the holidays.

 

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1.      The first tip is to pick the freshest tree possible. A tree that that has been cut more recently will be able to last longer than one that has been prepped and sent to local tree retailers. You can always ask the salesperson how long ago it was cut, or even go out into a wooded area and find your own tree.

2.      Don’t pick a tree with a lot of brown needles on it already, because this means that the tree is well past its prime and will likely not last long. When choosing your tree, make sure that the needles are flexible and bendable as this is a good indicator of its freshness.

3.      Mount your tree as soon as possible after bringing it home, and give it lots of water. Even though most trees can withstand a day of not having water, it will without a doubt last longer if you give it some hydration right away. You will want to mount your tree while its still moist and wet because a dry trunk may already mean that the tree is starting to lose some of its life. Make sure to water your tree every day, because it will be drinking a lot especially in the beginning.

4.      Keep your tree away from the windows and vents. Allowing it to stay in the shade for the month will keep it from drying out as fast, and it will live longer as a result. Also, keeping your tree away from direct sunlight will prevent it from losing its color as quickly.

5.      If your tree has been out of the woods or tree lot for at least five hours before getting inside your home, cut an inch off the trunk. Usually in that amount of time the ends will start to harden up, and it will attempt to close it off. If you cut that little extra amount of the end of the tree it will be able to drink water better and stay moist longer.

6.      Give your tree a sugar source in addition to its water. Since the tree has been cut from its natural location it will need something to give it the nutrients it needs. Maybe once a week or so put a couple teaspoons of sugar into the water mount below your tree. Sugar is one of the things that trees need in the wild, so helping it out in this way may not be a bad idea.

7.      To reduce the amount of heat that your tree endures, try using the newer LED lights as opposed to some of the older style ones. The heat from a lot of bulbs on string lights can be very taxing to the branches and dry them out a lot faster than you would like.

8.      Try brining in a humidifier into the same room as your tree. Adding some moisture to the air will also help it not dry out. During the winter, most places experience really dry air that can get into the home as well. Not only is this solution a great option for the tree, but it will also help you and your family get the some humidity during the dry winter months.

Stewart Scott is a certified arborist and is the owner of Cevet Tree Care, where he offers the best tree service Columbia MO has to offer. Cevet has provided tree trimming and other tree care services to mid-Missouri for almost 20 years.

 

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Your At-Home Wedding Wonder!

Whether you are trying to save money or you have never felt really interested in the big wedding ceremony, there are plenty of great reasons to celebrate your wedding at home. It is intimate, it is friendly, and it really gives you a chance to let your home shine. How can you make sure that you are making the most out of your at home wedding?

Match the Wedding to the Space

You don't want to make people feel cramped. Where is the actual ceremony going to be? Holding it outside is fairly traditional, and there are plenty of people who have big yards that can accommodate a small wedding of thirty or so. Remember to measure the space for any seating or staging you want to put up, and in general, remember that having extra space is better than having too little!

DIY Decorations!

There are so many great ways to decorate your own home for your wedding. For example, you can make your own floral centerpieces out of your garden, and a quick trip to a home improvement store can give you what you need to build a quick trellis for the ceremony. Consider piercing ping pong balls and sliding them over small Christmas lights to provide a soft glow for a summertime evening wedding. There are so many wonderful options out there that you are sure to have a great time putting your decorations together. If you need some help choosing your wedding decorations, think of a theme that reflects the both of you, and let the theme narrow it down.

Figure Out Parking

Do you know what the rules on parking are for your area? Will everyone have enough space to park? On your wedding website, make sure that you give instructions on where your guests can put their cars, especially if you live in an area where the city likes to tow. This is quite important, especially for out-of-towners who might not know the area as well as others.

Decide on Your Food

If you are holding the wedding at your home, you can cook yourself, but even the most ardent DIY couple admits that having food brought in can be a life saver. When you are thinking of wedding catering, remember that you can choose nearly any cuisine that you like. Wedding catering for a home wedding can be as simple as a buffet, as fancy as a chocolate fountain or as light as tray after tray of beautiful appetizers. The trick is to head to a caterers website, ring them and see if they’re a good fit for your event.

Pet Sitting

You love your cats or dogs, but on a wedding day, they may be underfoot, or worse, they might run outside and get lost as people come and go. Make sure that there is a good place to put them with plenty of food and water, and be sure that someone checks on them periodically.

When you are planning your at-home wedding, there is no reason that it cannot go exactly as you wish it to. There are some wonderful options out there that will allow you to get the exact wedding you want, so keep an open mind, prep everything as early as you can, and smile!

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Things to Consider When Choosing a Property Management Team

There are several things to consider when choosing a property management team. If the members of the team should be committed to making sure that the investments of the client are the most important consideration at all times. They must have access to resources which will make the experience of residents the best it can possibly be. They must also have the ability to connect with other service providers who are able to handle any problems which may arise on a property.

Responsiveness

Property management teams must have the ability to address problems of people living on the property in the quick and efficient manner. Showing respect to the residence inn is another factor that should be taken into consideration so that it is possible to keep all units full. The idea of owning a residential complex is to maximize profitability and minimize stress. That should be the goal of any person who is working as part of a residential management team.

Conflict Resolution

The members of the team should be able to resolve conflict as quickly and efficiently as possible. They should also have the knowledge is how to handle difficult residents who have a history of causing problems without having to run to the property owner on a consistent basis. The idea behind having someone manage properties to make sure that things are running smoothly without unnecessary legal action entering the realm of possibility.

Enforcement of Policies

The management team should be capable of handling the enforcement of policies. This means being able to deliver difficult information to people living on the property. Sometimes, this can be challenging especially with individuals who have a sense of entitlement. Interested parties can click now for more information.

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Yellow Spot on Pit Lane

I saw this metal yellow spot on the pit lane of the Sentul Circuit (Bogor, West Java Province, Indonesia). I don’t know the name. It seems a movable shortcut access for motor racers from the track into the pits.  

Monday Mellow Yellows

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