Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It hasn't permiated the house but it is definitely noticeable. We are
using Peter's Christmas Tree Preservative in the water. I'm sure that
there is some bacteria or mold now feeding on the preservative. We've
quit using the preservative and the tree is now on a diet of regular
water but the odor persists. Is there something I can put in the water
that will kill everything in there except the tree? Vinegar maybe?
Any ideas short of taking the tree down and starting over?

Chris

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

Did you get the tree from a reliable dealer? Many trees are sprayed
with a chemical this time of year and if stolen and used inside a
heated building, gives off unpleasant odors.

Tom J

"chris" wrote in message
oups.com...
We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There
is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It hasn't permiated the house but it is definitely noticeable. We
are
using Peter's Christmas Tree Preservative in the water. I'm sure
that
there is some bacteria or mold now feeding on the preservative.
We've
quit using the preservative and the tree is now on a diet of regular
water but the odor persists. Is there something I can put in the
water
that will kill everything in there except the tree? Vinegar maybe?
Any ideas short of taking the tree down and starting over?

Chris

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

"chris" wrote in message
oups.com
We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving.
There is an odor coming from the water in the stand that is
very
much like vomit. I'm not kidding.

It hasn't permiated the house but it is definitely noticeable.
We
are using Peter's Christmas Tree Preservative in the water.
I'm
sure that there is some bacteria or mold now feeding on the
preservative. We've quit using the preservative and the tree
is
now on a diet of regular water but the odor persists. Is there
something I can put in the water that will kill everything in
there
except the tree? Vinegar maybe? Any ideas short of taking the
tree
down and starting over?

Chris

A tiny bit of bleach might help but I don't know what it will do
to the tree.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

Tom J wrote:
Did you get the tree from a reliable dealer? Many trees are sprayed
with a chemical this time of year and if stolen and used inside a
heated building, gives off unpleasant odors.


We got it from Lowe's and it's definitely the water, not the tree.
After sticking my finger in the water the other day to check the level,
there was no mistaking that it was the water.

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

"Travis M." wrote in message
news:8Prnf.1217$1b.841@trndny03...
"chris" wrote in message
oups.com
We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving.
There is an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very
much like vomit. I'm not kidding.

It hasn't permiated the house but it is definitely noticeable. We
are using Peter's Christmas Tree Preservative in the water. I'm
sure that there is some bacteria or mold now feeding on the
preservative. We've quit using the preservative and the tree is
now on a diet of regular water but the odor persists. Is there
something I can put in the water that will kill everything in there
except the tree? Vinegar maybe? Any ideas short of taking the tree
down and starting over?

Chris

A tiny bit of bleach might help but I don't know what it will do to the
tree.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5


Charcoal perhaps?

alice

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

but I don't know what it will do
to the tree.

Well that's a problem then isn't it? I've got no shortage of ways to
kill bacteria. The trick is to do it without killing the tree.

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

uh.....the tree IS dead. I think you mean, how to do it without causing the
tree to drop all its needles prematurely.....
"chris" wrote in message
oups.com...
but I don't know what it will do
to the tree.

Well that's a problem then isn't it? I've got no shortage of ways to
kill bacteria. The trick is to do it without killing the tree.

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

"chris" wrote in message
oups.com...
but I don't know what it will do
to the tree.

Well that's a problem then isn't it? I've got no shortage of ways to
kill bacteria. The trick is to do it without killing the tree.




Hydrogen peroxide- maybe a capful or so..



--
Toni
South Florida USA
Zone 10b
http://ww.cearbhaill.com

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

Did you cut off the stump before placing in water? maybe they dipped the
trees into a perserve before setting them out for sale. recut the end ( I
know a big job after decorating the darn thing) and place a little bleach
into the new water. ( no more than a teaspoon) maybe try that first then if
it doesn't work recutting. also place a dish or two of baking soda or
charcoal or something like that under the tree.
A fir tree should smell good

--
:) Lynn



"chris" wrote in message
oups.com...
We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It hasn't permiated the house but it is definitely noticeable. We are
using Peter's Christmas Tree Preservative in the water. I'm sure that
there is some bacteria or mold now feeding on the preservative. We've
quit using the preservative and the tree is now on a diet of regular
water but the odor persists. Is there something I can put in the water
that will kill everything in there except the tree? Vinegar maybe?
Any ideas short of taking the tree down and starting over?

Chris

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

A bit of bleach won't hurt -- plants need trace amounts of chlorine
anyway...notice your sink water hasn't killed anything lately!

John

"Lynn" wrote in message
...
Did you cut off the stump before placing in water? maybe they dipped the
trees into a perserve before setting them out for sale. recut the end ( I
know a big job after decorating the darn thing) and place a little bleach
into the new water. ( no more than a teaspoon) maybe try that first then
if
it doesn't work recutting. also place a dish or two of baking soda or
charcoal or something like that under the tree.
A fir tree should smell good

--
:) Lynn



"chris" wrote in message
oups.com...
We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It hasn't permiated the house but it is definitely noticeable. We are
using Peter's Christmas Tree Preservative in the water. I'm sure that
there is some bacteria or mold now feeding on the preservative. We've
quit using the preservative and the tree is now on a diet of regular
water but the odor persists. Is there something I can put in the water
that will kill everything in there except the tree? Vinegar maybe?
Any ideas short of taking the tree down and starting over?

Chris

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

"chris" wrote:

but I don't know what it will do
to the tree.

Well that's a problem then isn't it? I've got no shortage of ways to
kill bacteria. The trick is to do it without killing the tree.

Cut Christmas trees are dead, or at least in the process of dying.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

"chris" wrote:

We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It might be caused by the sap. The nickname for true firs (all others
besides Doug Fir) is **** Fir because of the odor of the sap when you
peel the bark. As others have stated, you can use some chlorine bleach.
Also, you can use plastic wrap to seal off the area over the water to
keep the odor from coming into the room.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Stephen Henning "chris" wrote:

We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It might be caused by the sap. The nickname for true firs (all others
besides Doug Fir) is **** Fir because of the odor of the sap when you
peel the bark. As others have stated, you can use some chlorine bleach.
Also, you can use plastic wrap to seal off the area over the water to
keep the odor from coming into the room.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman


your tree water has bacteria for sure from the sounds of things what i would do is take the tree down which i know would be a pain after getting it all decorated etc. but i still would do it cut about two to three good inches off of the bottom then take a wood chisel and make a deep x mark in the base of the tree so that there is an open area for the tree to take up nutrients i would then clean as much of the junk off of the bark area as u can that still has any sign of either mold scum or whatever.
then i would reset up your tree then do as this link says
http://www.mintergardens.com/Newsletter%20December.htm
and hopefully u will have good luck with your christmas tree.
my dad also would give the christmas tree some sugar water every few days in order to keep the sap levels of the tree up it helped to stop the needles from dropping and once a week he would give the tree a couple of asprins.
good luck, sockiescat.

sockiescat Stephen Henning "chris" wrote:

We have a Frazier Fur that we put up just after Thanksgiving. There is
an odor coming from the water in the stand that is very much like
vomit. I'm not kidding.

It might be caused by the sap. The nickname for true firs (all others
besides Doug Fir) is **** Fir because of the odor of the sap when you
peel the bark. As others have stated, you can use some chlorine bleach.
Also, you can use plastic wrap to seal off the area over the water to
keep the odor from coming into the room.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman


your tree water has bacteria for sure from the sounds of things what i would do is take the tree down which i know would be a pain after getting it all decorated etc. but i still would do it cut about two to three good inches off of the bottom then take a wood chisel and make a deep x mark in the base of the tree so that there is an open area for the tree to take up nutrients i would then clean as much of the junk off of the bark area as u can that still has any sign of either mold scum or whatever.
then i would reset up your tree then do as this link says
http://www.mintergardens.com/Newsletter%20December.htm
and hopefully u will have good luck with your christmas tree.
my dad also would give the christmas tree some sugar water every few days in order to keep the sap levels of the tree up it helped to stop the needles from dropping and once a week he would give the tree a couple of asprins. the one thing that i did forget to mention is that with the sugar water and aspirins u have to be careful because with some trees it can make them dry out faster i know we used this with spruce trees.
good luck, sockiescat

Christmas tree problem... HELP!
 

John wrote:
A bit of bleach won't hurt -- plants need trace amounts of chlorine
anyway...notice your sink water hasn't killed anything lately!

=============

So, you will drink Clorox because you have noticed
that sink water hasn't killed anything lately?

Your premise that bleach is called for in this case may
be correct, but the logic upon which you base your opinion
is sophomoric at best.