Tips for selecting and caring for your Christmas tree.

Coming up next, on year-round gardening.

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Though there are plenty of artificial Christmas trees to choose from, you still might prefer the look, feel, and aroma of a real Christmas tree.

Here are a few tips on what to look for when selecting a Christmas tree and how to care for it in your home.

Make sure branches are pliable, not brittle.

Cutting your own tree from a Christmas tree farm will give you the freshest tree for your home.

But many people will buy a tree that's already been cut.

Make sure the needles are a healthy green color with few brown ones, and are flexible.

Run your hand through the branches to make sure they're pliable and not brittle.

If a lot of needles start falling off when you touch the branches, the tree is already too dry and would not be a good choice.

Water matters.

Cut the base of the tree.

Giving enough water is the most important aspect of prolonging the life of the tree.

It will reduce loss of needles and keep it fresh.

The bottom of a pre-cut tree will have sealed itself with sap, preventing it from absorbing water.

Therefore, you should cut 1/4 of an inch off the base of the tree.

Then you should put the tree in water immediately in a water holding tree stand.

For most trees, a stand that can hold at least one gallon of water is needed.

Don't whittle down the tree stem to fit the stand as the outer layers are the best at absorbing water.

Rather, choose a stand that is a large enough size for the tree.

Lastly, make sure the water basin doesn't run dry.

Check the water level twice a day, especially during the first week when the tree will tend to suck up the most water.

Keep away from heat sources.

When deciding on a location for your tree, keep away from heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight, and of course, a fireplace.

Heat will reduce the longevity of the tree.

The lower the heat, the better the tree will do.

Recycle your tree.

There are a number of ways to recycle your tree after the holidays.

Consider taking your tree to a goat farm.

Goats love eating pine needles and they are a great source of nutrition for these animals Christmas trees can also be used for birds.

For example, after you've cleaned the tree of ornaments, you can prop it up outside and redecorate it with pine cones of peanut butter and bird seed, apple and orange slices, or other such food for birds.

Many communities have special drop off or pick up sites that will recycle the tree.

Check with your local municipality to see if they recycle the tree for woodchips or mulch.

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