Rob Lowe Waters His Christmas Tree with 7-UP. Is That a Good Idea?
Rob Lowe has a Christmas tree tip for you and it's kind of... strange.
On Monday, the very healthy and fit Rob Lowe appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show and dropped an interesting tidbit of info. While he admits he's not very involved in tending to the house, he does really enjoy caring for his Christmas tree. “I am all over it," he says. "I’m obsessed with it drying out too soon."
The 55-year-old explains he has a phobia about pine needles and how easily flammable they are. But rather than diligently watering his tree, he saturates it woth a special little potion he makes with soda. “It’s half 7UP, half water. I am obsessed with this," he says. "This is all I care about during the holidays.”
So there you have it. Rob Lowe doesn't drink 7-UP, but his Christmas tree sure does. While Rob swears by it, is it actually a good idea? The opinions, much like the concoction Rob is feeding his tree, are mixed, but no one seems completely against it.
The mail-order organic gardening site Gardens Alive! lists their top ten tree tips and explained that 7-UP can help preserve the tree, but is best in quarter doses. For every cup your tree gets, three parts should be water, and one part should be 7-UP.
Tim O'Connor, executive director of the National Christmas Tree Association, told PEOPLE that the NCTA hears about people doing all types of wild things to their trees. “We recommend just water—what the tree used while it was growing—but if something has been working for someone, we are not against it.” He emphasizes the importance of making sure a tree is constantly checked and watered.
On the other hand, the United States Department of Agriculture doesn't suggest soda water, but a different mixture: a little bit of liquid bleach, half of teaspoon, a little bit of Borax, some corn syrup, two pinches of Epsom salt, and a bit of chelated iron (ya know, if you just have that lying around) into hot water. Read their recipe here.
Our takeaway: WOW. A lot of options out there. But also, to each their own! There's not a huge case against watering your tree with soda (or numerous other special ingredients). If you think it gives life to your pine, then by all means, pop open the pop, and take a walk on the fizzy side. According to Bob Villa, the average tree only lasts five to six weeks in the first place, so might as well make its last few weeks fun. ????
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