Live Christmas trees are beautiful but need to be cared for carefully

COLUMBUS, MISS. (WCBI) – Purchasing live Christmas trees are becoming a growing trend this holiday season and taking care of them is a task within itself.

These trees have and continue to be a fire hazard because they haven’t been tended to in the right manner.

Greenhouses are open to talk with customers about how to prevent these measures, but they say they aren’t asked about it until after a hazard has occurred.

Columbus’s greenhouse manager offers some tips on how to keep the flames down this Christmas.

“Keep it away from a heating element whether it be a fireplace, a heater, or a wall unit. Don’t put a plug into it and then make sure you use good lights,” said Mary Tuggle, Manager of Walton’s Greenhouse. “The cording in it if it’s frayed or torn or broken can cause it to spark, and then you keep your tree hydrated with water in the Christmas tree base. If you do that it should be fine.”

Tuggle also advises when getting these live trees to get a rubber rug and put under it so your tree won’t flip over.