Similar to caring for cut flowers, how you care for a fresh Christmas tree is a major factor in how long your tree will last. There are several Christmas tree care mistakes that can shorten its lifespan. And then there are tasks such as regular watering and placing your tree in the coolest area of your home that can help your tree last four to five weeks. Here’s what you shouldn’t do when caring for your Christmas tree so it will stay fresh the entire holiday season.

1. Choosing a Dry Tree

Knowing how to choose a Christmas tree that is fresh is key to making your tree last through the entire holiday season. The trunks of the most popular types of Christmas trees should have a slight stickiness to them. Bend the tree’s needles in half—fresh firs should snap, while fresh pines should bend but not break. You can easily determine if a Christmas tree is too dry if you see a lot of needles fall after you gently tap the cut end of the tree on the ground.

2. Not Cutting Off the Trunk’s Base

To keep a Christmas tree alive, you’ll need to cut off a ½-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk as soon as you bring the tree home, or have the tree seller cut it for you when you buy the tree. The bottom cut is necessary because it reopens the cut tree’s base that’s been sealed up with sap and allows the tree to absorb water. Be sure to cut perpendicular to the stem axis with a hand saw or chain saw so that the tree can receive as much hydration as possible and be easily supported in a tree stand. Try not to bruise or get dirt on the tree’s cut surface.

3. Whittling the Sides of the Trunk

Make sure to buy at tree that fits your tree stand. While it may be tempting to whittle the sides of your tree’s trunk down to fit a stand you already have, don’t do it because you’ll only cause your tree harm. The outer wood layers of your tree are the most efficient in absorbing water so the sides of the tree trunk shouldn’t be removed. Buy a sturdy stand that can fit the circumference of your tree and support the heavy branches of a quality tree.

4. Storing the Tree Without Water

Put your freshly cut tree in water as soon as you bring your tree home. You’ll only have 6 to 8 hours before most species of Christmas trees’ trunks can’t take up water. If you can’t set up your tree right away, temporarily store it in a cool location such as a cool porch or utility room in a bucket that is kept full of water.

5. Choosing the Wrong Stand

When choosing a stand for a real Christmas tree, be sure to look at the stand’s capacity for holding water. Displaying your tree in a stand with a large water reservoir is essential to maintaining an ongoing water supply so the tree doesn’t become dry and lose its needles. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the ideal tree stand should have the capacity to provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter.

6. Forgetting to Water Your Tree

Cut trees can suck up water faster than you might think. If you forget to check the water levels in your tree stand at least once a day, water levels may drop below the base of the tree. If that happens, a sap seal will form over the tree’s bottom, making it hard for the tree to absorb water.

Some trees can absorb up to a gallon of water a day, so make sure to add water to the stand as needed. Watering your tree is essential to maintaining its freshness and needle structure. If monitoring water levels is too much of a chore, you can invest in devices that help maintain a constant water level in tree stands such as water level indicators, automatic watering systems, and trunk-mounted measuring and alarm products.

7. Putting the Tree Near a Heat Source

Placing your Christmas tree near a heat source such as a fireplace, radiator, heat vent, or direct sunlight can cause your tree to dry out faster. And that’s a serious potential fire hazard because, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a dried-out Christmas tree will burn much more quickly than a well-watered one. Positioning your tree at least 3 feet away from a heat source is a safer alternative.

8. Decorating Your Tree with High-Heat Lights

Successfully stringing lights on a Christmas tree begins with knowing how to choose the best Christmas lights for your tree. Mini light bulbs are the best lights to use for decorating your tree because they produce low heat that won’t dry out your tree as fast as high-heat lights. When shopping for mini light bulbs, consider replacing your old string lights with LED lights because they consume less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and operate at a cooler temperature.

9. Putting Additives in Christmas Tree Water

You may have heard advice to add molasses, sugar, bleach, floral preservatives, soft drinks, aspirin, or commercial products to your tree stand’s water. Many of these can make a mess and do more harm than good so it’s best to just use plain water.

10. Raising the Indoor Temperature

Christmas trees last longer in cool rooms, so rather than raising the temperature in your home during the holidays, lower your ideal house temperature by a few degrees to keep your tree fresh. You can also avoid exposing your live tree to unnecessary heat by not overloading electrical circuits and by turning off the tree lights when leaving the house or going to bed. If you notice that needles are easily falling off your tree or if your tree has drooping branches, remove the tree from your home to prevent a potential fire.

11. Letting Pets Damage the Tree

Curious pets can cause serious damage to your tree by knocking it over or chewing on it. Pet-proof your Christmas tree by anchoring it to a wall or ceiling with string so that it doesn’t fall over and harm your pets. You should also cover the tree’s water or make sure it’s inaccessible so your pet doesn’t drink it.

12. Burning Your Christmas Tree in a Fireplace

It’s never a good idea to burn pieces of your Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove. The tree’s dried needles can burn quickly and produce lots of sparks that can ignite nearby rugs, furniture, and decorations. Firs, pines, and spruces have a high sap content that can damage your chimney flue and produce a lot of creosote on your chimney walls.