Preparation

• Before you start watering your tree, you need to get it properly set up in the stand. Cut 1 to 2 inches of the stump off before you set the tree up. The end of the stump contains dead cells from the cold ground and dirt, and there is a build-up that occurs at the bottom of the stump that is the result of run-off from the sap inside the tree. Once this build-up occurs, the tree can no longer take in water and nutrients.
  
  It is important to keep the water in the tree stand up and over the end of the stump. Water being taken into the tree will prevent the stump from creating the build-up. Be sure your tree is standing straight up and down in the stand to allow proper movement of water.
  
  As soon as you get the tree into the stand, give it a gallon of warm water and allow it to settle for 24 hours before you decorate. While it is settling, check the water level every two hours and refill the stand as needed. Never let the water level drop below the end of the stump. Your tree will drink a lot of water the first 48 to 72 hours, so keep feeding it to keep it alive.
  
  

Recipe

• To create the right recipe for preserving your tree, start with a gallon of warm water. Add in three cups of corn syrup and one cup of bleach. The corn syrup is the sugar that the tree will need to survive and make its own nutrients. The bleach will kill bacteria in the tree that could cause it to die.
  
  Some people put vodka in with their Christmas tree as part of a popular recipe for tree preservation. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, any kind of alcohol breaks down the tissue of the tree from the inside and can kill your tree prematurely.
  
  

Ongoing Maintenance

• Use the recipe for the first five days you have the tree in the house and then switch over to straight warm water. Keep an eye on the level of water in the stand each day, and always top the water off when it is low. As time goes by, the tree will take less and less water, indicating that it is starting to die.
  
  The recipe along with proper maintenance can keep a Christmas tree looking green for about three to four weeks.