Introduction: Christmas Tree Watering Hack

You have to water a cut Christmas tree – it can drink over a quart of water per day, and if it runs out – oops, the needles fall off and you’ve got a drooping fire hazard in your house.

But bushy trees with low-hanging branches can make it awkward to get water into the tree stand’s water  reservoir, and when a chore is awkward, we avoid doing it.

This hack couldn’t be easier: All it takes is the extender tube from your vacuum cleaner. (If you don’t have one, go to your friendly local hardware store and buy a 3-foot length of 11/2-in. plastic pipe.)

Working at the side of the tree that’s least visible, insert the tube vertically and close-in, parallel to the trunk. Make sure it actually goes all the way down into the stand’s water reservoir. Here’s a photo with the tube in place; I’ve pulled the branches back and down so you can see it, but it’s virtually invisible. Just tip a water bottle into the tube to fill the stand. No muss, no fuss, and no crawling around at the base of the tree, dousing half the water on the presents.

For more detailed pictures, visit my blog post on EDN magazine’s website. http://www.edn.com/blog/PowerSource/41517-Easy_hack_to_water_Christmas_tree_no_electronics_just_a_vacuum_cleaner_.php