LymeNet Flash: A worry-free live Christmas tree

This is topic A worry-free live Christmas tree in forum General Support at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Janice70 (Member # 16319) on :

In prior years, before the Lyme diagnosis, my family hiked around to find the perfect Christmas tree to cut down.

This year, I didn't want to give up the live Christmas tree, so I rented a pickup truck, bought a tree at a store (wearing my permethrin, light colored clothing, of course), had the tree carried to the truck, then drove to a self-service car wash. I took the tree out of the truck, placed it on the ground, and paid for 2 cycles where I hosed, hosed, and hosed with the high pressure washer.

Dropped off the Christmas tree at home, returned the rented truck, and I was done.

A new tradition.

Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :

janice, [group hug]

well done; curious; when you got it home, did you by chance put it on a white sheet and let it sit there for alittle while to make sure those darn little ticks were all gone?

sorry, since this is how i got lyme beginning 40 years ago this christmas!

Posted by Janice70 (Member # 16319) on :

No, I didn't think to do that. I figured they couldn't have survived the several minutes of high pressure hosing. But I'll do the sheet thing next year.

Posted by just don (Member # 1129) on :

dont wanna rain on your parade,,,BUT,,,ticks CAN survive TWO WEEKS under water. They breath like fish sorta.

Studies have shown running clothes thru clothes washer doesnt kill them,

ONLY dryer on hottest setting for a long time.

so unless you can stick your tree in the dryer for half an hour,,,NO guarentee you blew them off

altho its better than nothing and might have reduced them on a direct hit,,or NOT!!(who would ever know)

Had a friend tell me his grandkids couldnt have any ticks on them cause they always took baths every day. Like that would drown them. NOT!!!!!!

Posted by Zebco 33 (Member # 18376) on :

Wow Janice. You must really love a live Christmas tree. I showed your post to my husband and he said he was going to try that with me after we go fishing and hiking. He's a retired cop with a strange sense of humor. Gosh, hope he's joking!! [Big Grin]

Posted by Just Julie (Member # 1119) on :

ayep, what Just Don said .. . of course us old timers remember the post(s) about people who flushed ticks down the toilet to dispose of them, only to find they'd crawled back up the toilet!!!

EWWW.

No risk of a bite is worth it to me, as I have been putting up a fake/faux/artificial/environmentally friendly tree for the past 6 xmases!

Good idea, though. What a lot of work to get a live tree in the house! [Eek!]