Make a fresh diagonal cut at the butt end of the trunk and stick the tree in a bucket of water until you want to tote it indoors. Before bringing the tree into the house, saw the butt of the tree again, squaring off the diagonal so the tree will soak up more water. Sprinkling water on the branches and needles before you decorate the tree will help it retain freshness. Keep the tree stand filled with water. A tree absorbs about a gallon of water in the first 24 hours and one or more quarts a day thereafter.
Water is important because it keeps the needles fresh and intact and keeps the tree fragrant.
If the water drops below the base of the tree for four to six hours, a seal of dried sap will form over the cut stump. If the seal forms, another fresh cut needs to be made, and that's not easy when you're dealing with a decorated tree in a house. To one gallon of hot water, add one-fourth cup of iron chelate, two cups of light corn syrup and four teaspoons of chlorine bleach. The iron chelate is the horticultural iron material that is used to correct iron deficiencies in azaleas and camellias. You also can spray your tree with an anti-wilt material to reduce water loss.