Oh, Christmas Tree….
A fresh cut
or live Christmas tree can add so much to your holiday décor, making the whole
house fragrant with the aroma of Christmas past. Scientists tell us that scent is tied in
closely to our most precious memories.
There is a reason that every year the commercial aromatic industry
provides us with a pine/balsam/spruce scent for holiday spritzing. Sure, you can use a “can-o-pine” air freshener
to try and replicate fresh evergreens, but it is not the same.
Christmas
tree farms are totally “green”! They are
what sustainable agriculture is all about, replanting after harvest and conscious
of both soil and water conservation. Artificial trees are made of metal and/or
plastic, take up valuable space and are not recyclable. With the holiday season starting tomorrow,
many folks are thinking about their tree of choice. So consider a live (balled and bur- lapped with live roots) or fresh cut tree this year!
Selecting a tree is more about personal preference
than anything. Size, availability, and budget are the next concern. Just
remember trees are like other living things and vary individually. Once you decide on the type of tree you want
(such as pine vs spruce), look for the best choice for the area in your yard
you wish to plant it. Remember
that a living tree should stay indoors for only a week at the most. Deborah
Hill from the Kentucky Department of Forestry says “When a living tree has been enjoyed in the house for a week return the tree to a sheltered,
but un-heated, location as you did before it went into the house. With all the
decorations removed, mist the needles down again and make sure the root-ball is
still damp. After two or three days, plant the tree, remembering to remove all
plastic twine, wire, and burlap from the root-ball. Slightly loosen the soil of
the root-ball and use the protected, reserved soil from the hole to fill in
around the tree. If temperatures allow, water the tree thoroughly after planting
and put mulch (wood chips, sawdust) 2 or 3 inches deep around the tree (but not touching the bark of the tree).
If there are warm spells during the winter, water the tree again, but otherwise
it should just begin growing new needles in the spring.”
A cut-it-yourself
tree farm is the freshest place to find your holiday tree, but for many of us
that is not an option. Pre-cut trees are
readily available and the selection is usually great! Keep a few things in mind when selecting a
pre-cut tree:
*No falling green
needles! Gently shake the tree. A fresh tree will not have falling green
needles unless it is too dry.
*Tips of the
evergreen should be flexible, not brittle.
*Try to
select a tree that is in shade and has some protection from the wind.
*Is water
available for the cut tree?
*Don’t
forget to recut the base of the trunk to allow the tree to more freely take up
water.
*Once the
tree is up in your home do not forget to keep it watered!
A real tree
at holiday time is a thing of joy. We respond to the sight, scent and feel of a
live tree and the memories they evoke last a lifetime. Have a happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the spirit
of the holiday as we prepare for the Christmas and Hanukah season.
For
additional information on both living and fresh cut trees check this out:
