Make the most out of your Christmas tree Tens of thousands of Christmas trees are imported from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe each year. This creates a bigger carbon footprint, deprives British growers of business and results in trees with shorter lifespans. Ash dieback has highlighted the risks of diseases being brought over with the imported trees. For a list of accredited vendors, see the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (01473 785100; christmastree.org.uk). 3 Care for your cut tree Saw off an inch at its base to help your tree absorb water, and ensure that the reservoir is always full. You may need to refill once every two days: they are thirsty beasts. Keep it away from radiators and fires if possible: the shock of moving from zero degrees outside to 20 degrees inside can cause trees to wilt. 4 Don't fret about necrosis Current season needle necrosis (CSNN) is a mysterious disease, which hit the headlines last year. While it has affected Nordmann firs in particular, it has been around in Britain for a number of years and is not fatal - it simply causes the needles to brown and fall off, but they then regrow. 5 Dispose of cut trees with care Don't burn your tree once Twelfth Night has passed. Saw it up or chip it yourself and let it rot down in your garden. As well as eventual compost, a heap of logs provides a home for insects. Alternatively, most tree vendors now provide a collection service after the festivities. A third option is to take it to your council's green waste disposal unit. 6 Which is best: containerised or container-grown? Containerised means the tree has been cut and thrust into a pot for resale. It has no or next-to-no root system and is unlikely to survive being transferred into your garden after Christmas. A container-grown tree, which has been raised in a pot like any other plant for sale, is a better bet for recycling at home - either by planting out, or by growing it on in its pot. 7 Think inside the pot If removed from their container, common Christmas tree species, such as fir or spruce, can grow very large, very quickly - in some cases up to 100ft (33m). To avoid constant pruning or a row with the neighbours, keep the tree in its pot and move it back inside the house the following year. Growth will be limited by the size of the container. Depending on the species, it may outgrow its pot in a few years, but will still be better value than you would get from a cut tree. 8 A place for evergreens If keeping a potted tree outside, find a north-west or north-facing spot. Give a general feed once a year. Firs and spruces are naturally found in chilly forests, so they like plenty of water and at least partial shade. Water frequently, particularly in a dry summer (hardly a problem this year). 9 Grow your own If you want a living Christmas tree, there are many options besides the classic Nordmann fir or Norway spruce. For a small garden, the Korean fir (Abies koreana) produces purple-lilac cones in spring and only reaches about 7ft (2m) in 10 years. Another option is the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla). This not a true pine but has a fantastic branching conical shape, perfect for Christmas decorations. In Britain, it only grows in the Scilly Isles but, if kept in a large pot, it can be moved into an unheated greenhouse for the worst of the winter, brought indoors for Christmas, then given a spot outside on the patio in spring. 10 Take the decorations outside People decorate their houses with anything from shining Santas to disco reindeer, so there's no reason that you cannot move your traditional fairy lights on to a tree which is already in the garden. There are many good options: the Telegraph Garden Shop has a string of 100 solar-powered LED lights for £19.99 (0844 873 0789; gardenshop.telegraph.co.uk). Tony Russell is the author of Trees (Dorling Kindersley, £9.99)