First things first, when is the optimum time to buy? It all depends on when you take your tree down according to Des Brosnan, resident gardening expert at Brosnan Property Solutions (brosnans.ie).

“If you want to leave the tree up until the traditional 12th night around 5 January, you should be looking at buying the tree in early December.”

“Most Christmas trees last a solid five to six weeks if they’re looked after properly, so if you pick up your tree now you’re going to have a pretty picturesque scene Christmas morning!”

“You need to know exactly what you’re looking for, know how much space you have at home for the tree ensuring to leave at least six to seven inches between the top of the tree and the ceiling – if you place a star or an angel on top of your tree, you’ll want to be leaving around 14 inches if possible.

“Most homes feature 8ft ceilings, so a 7ft tree would be perfect”

When it comes to choosing the tree itself, Des says it’s all about the density.

“The tree should be quite dense and have that healthy, bushy shape,” he said.

“You shouldn’t be able to see the trunk through the branches of the tree – if you can see the trunk, avoid at all costs! That’s an unhealthy tree and it won’t last.

“You can also test the tree’s general health by very gently grabbing one of the inside branches and pulling your hand back out towards you, the needles should stay on the tree, if they fall off, pick another tree.

“Generally speaking, always look for the greenest tree available – this is a good indicator of tree health, the trees usually tend to transition into a dull grayish-green type colour if they lose a lot of moisture and dry out.”

Once you have your tree selected you’ll need to get it home, according to Des this is when the biggest mistakes start to happen.

“Once the tree is cut you’ve got to start thinking of it like a cut flower, it’s delicate, it needs water and it needs to be protected!

“Most people strap the tree on top of their car when transporting it, if you’re doing this make sure the tree is covered – if you don’t, the wind the tree is exposed to on top of the car will dry it out, shortening the lifespan.”

At last, the tree is back at the house, but now the real work begins.

“If the seller of your tree hasn’t already done so, make a one inch cut off the bottom of the tree – this ensures the tree can properly absorb moisture and isn’t clogged up with dried resin from its initial felling,” says Des.

“If your seller has cut your tree on site, wrap a damp cloth around the base of the trunk in order to keep it moist on your journey home.

“Your tree stand should be capable of holding around four and a half litres of water. 

“Keep the base constantly topped up with water otherwise resin will begin to reform on the base of the tree, which will cause it to dry out quicker.”

“Forget whatever you may have heard about adding stuff to the water – regular tap water provides exactly what the tree needs. Just keep things fresh!

“We’ve seen and heard of people adding bits of bleach to the water, lemon juice, sugar and all other sorts of nonsense. Avoid, avoid, avoid! You’re just making more work for yourself.”

“As we’ve mentioned before, it’s important to keep the tree from drying out, so keep it away from things like fireplaces, log burners, stoves, radiators – just any heat source in general.

“You need to keep the tree moist. Keep it protected and out of a draught. 

“If your home or the area around your tree is particularly dry, introduce a humidifier into the area, this should aid the tree.”

For more information, go to brosnans.ie