B&Q To Deliver Real Trees Straight To The Nation’s Doors

Today, B&Q has announced that for the first time ever it will be launching nationwide delivery for online orders of real Christmas trees. This means anyone having to self-isolate will still be able to enjoy a real Christmas tree in their home.

The socially distanced door drops will be available from 20th November and customers can pick a delivery date that’s convenient for them. The new service covers B&Q’s full range of cut and potted trees, including the beautiful Nordmann Fir, traditional Norway Spruce and the lovely low-drop Blue Spruce. New for 2020 is the Fraser Fir, a slimmer tree that is perfect for smaller rooms.

All of B&Q’s real trees are harvested from sustainable forests and 93 per cent are grown right here in the UK. Christmas trees are grown like other agricultural crops and new trees are planted to replace those that have been cut, enabling the long growing cycle of six to ten years to continue. Each year the number of trees planted by B&Q’s main supplier in Aberdeenshire is greater than the number harvested to ensure that the approach to sourcing real Christmas trees is responsible and forest-friendly.

Kam Dhillon, B&Q’s Christmas Category Manager, explained: “Many of us love the annual trip to pick out a real Christmas tree, and perhaps even enjoy the tussle of trying to fit it in the car to bring it home! We know this year is different though and so, to ensure anyone can enjoy the tradition of having a real Christmas tree, we are proud to be helping out with the introduction of nationwide home delivery on all of our real cut and potted trees for the very first time. Christmas starts with a tree, and no one should miss out on that.”

Top tips from Kam Dhillon to keep your real tree looking its best up until Christmas Day and beyond include:

1) Preparation is key - Ensure you remove the netting as soon as you can after your tree is delivered and shake it out - this removes any loose needles and allows the tree to keep its natural shape. Then, chop or saw off the bottom two inches off the trunk, and take off any small branches or bumps, so that the tree fits into your tree stand perfectly. Avoid putting your real tree in sand or soil as this can reduce the amount of water uptake.

2) Keep it hydrated - It may sound obvious, but Christmas trees are living plants which means they need plenty of water to survive. The average Christmas tree can drink 1-2 litres a day depending on its size and staying hydrated is crucial to ensuring it stays looking plump and full.  It’s not just water that can keep your tree looking luscious - try adding a shot of vodka to the water. It may sound a little unconventional but this will help to kill off any nasty bacteria and make your tree last longer. 

3) Keep it cool - Christmas trees grow in cold climates so it’s important to keep your tree away from any heat sources such as radiators. Heat will dry out the tree and it will lose its needles faster. What’s more, keep it away from any fruit bowls in the home. Although they may be a staple during the festive period, fruit gives off ethylene gas which affects plants and trees, making needles drop quicker.

To find out more about B&Q’s new home delivery service for online orders of real Christmas trees head to DIY.com and the full range is also available to shop in-stores and for Click + Collect from 20th November. As an essential retailer, our stores remain open with stringent social distancing measures in place to protect customer and colleague safety.

Source : B&Q

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