December 25 is still a few days away and your beautiful cut Christmas tree It’s starting to look, well… bleak. This is an unfortunate situation to say the least.

There are a number of reasons why you find yourself in this difficult situation (and we’ll get to that later), but you want to know if there is hope. Can a dying Christmas tree be revived? Here’s what the experts say.

Can you revive a dying Christmas tree?

We’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the short answer is no.

“It’s really not very effective to try to revive a dying Christmas tree,” said Tim O’Connor, the association’s executive director. National Christmas Tree Association. “Once the tree has been cut down on the farm, it begins to die like a cut flower. There are some best practices that will extend its shelf life, but it will eventually be done.

Best Practices for Extending the Life of Your Christmas Tree

O’Connor says the most effective way to extend the life of your tree is to start by choosing a fresh, healthy one. From there, make a new incision on the trunk to open its veins (the veins can become covered in sap and then will not be able to absorb water, leading to a quicker end). Place the tree in water immediately after this new cut and never let your water supply dry up.

Signs Your Christmas Tree Is Dying

The sad thing about living Christmas trees is that they inevitably die. If you think your tree is in distress, it probably is.

Common signs that your Christmas tree is dying include falling needles, browning or discoloration, drooping branches, and even a musty smell. The tree will also stop absorbing water as it nears the end of its life.

Common Causes of a Dying Christmas Tree

Christmas trees, whether cut or potted, can suffer from environmental stress, improper watering and poor preparation, leading to an early death. Proximity to heat sources and inconsistency humidity levels are also common culprits, as is bringing the tree in too early. A cut Christmas tree can last three to six weeks, depending on the type of tree and how it is cared for. So if you I brought home a live tree before Thanksgivingthe chances of it arriving by Christmas are low.

How to Help a Dying Christmas Tree

While you can’t stop time or undo past mistakes, there are things you can do to spend a little more time with your Christmas tree.

Start by moving your tree away from heat sources. Run a humidifier in the room can also help prolong the life of your Christmas tree.

As a last resort, O’Connor says you can consider pruning the stump to improve water absorption. “It would be possible to make a new cut on the trunk to try to allow it to take on water again,” he says, “but it is very difficult to do at this stage and it may be too late to succeed .”