The aroma of a cut Christmas tree certainly adds to the holiday season. But if safety is not a part of decorating and maintaining your tree, the outcome could be deadly.
Here are a few ideas to help prevent fires:
Always keep water around the trunk of the tree.
Keep the tree away from sources of heat, such as fireplaces and wood heaters.
Do not use candles near the tree.
Turn Christmas lights off when you are not at home and at night before you go to bed.
Do not put the tree directly under a heating vent.
Keep the area around the base of the tree clean. Remove any dead needles that are a fire hazard.
Poinsettia pointers
Chances are you have at least one poinsettia decorating your house right now. Here’s how to keep it looking fresh the whole season:
When you are bringing your plant home, keep it well protected in its wrapping.
Remove that wrapping as soon as you get it home.
Place the plant near the window, for good light, but do not let the plant touch window panes. As with any holiday plant, keep it out of drafts.
Daytime temperatures should be maintained between 60 and 70 degrees. If the temperature is too high, the life of the colorful leaves will be shorter and they will fade.
To keep the poinsettia in bloom, place it in a cooler room at night. Temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees are ideal. Water the plant when the soil is dry to the touch.
Booker T. Leigh is director at the Tipton County Extension office. E-mail your gardening questions to bleigh1@utk.edu. Include your name and area where you live. For more gardening information, call the Tipton County Extension office at (901) 476-0231 or the Shelby County Extension office at (901) 752-1207.
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