The University of Illinois Extensions Master Gardeners have some messages for those who chose the real tree route as opposed to the artificial Christmas Tree. Aspects such as hydration, insect habitation, and disposal are all important when taking care of the live Christmas decoration for over one month.

The Master Gardeners Gwen Podeschi and Sandy Cline say, you will not need to worry about over-watering, as the already chopped tree is ready to absorb any water that it can. The first main step for real Christmas tree success and safety is the placement in a person's home.

The Christmas tree might have been home to some critters taking refuge in a tree farm or hardware store parking lot. These critters are commonly insects that rise from their dormant stage as they hit the warm temperature inside a household.

The final step to ensure Christmas tree success is proper disposal. Taylorville and surrounding cities often have a designated day or days where sanitation departments will accept a Christmas tree carcass.

For more information on Christmas time plants or to become a Master Gardener make sure to visit extension.illinois.edu/mg.

Gwen Podeschi and Sandy Cline appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.