 |
||
|
Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
|
||
|
||
| Yates Association |
|
|
Choosing and Care of Your
Christmas Tree |
|
|
November 28, 2001 The holidays are fast approaching and every year I have to revisit all the considerations in purchasing a Christmas tree location, price, tree type, size and care. Before going out to buy a tree, be sure to know how much space you have for one including the height and width. Trees can be purchased from a commercial lot or from a cut-your-own tree farm. Trees cut and purchased at a cut-your-own tree farm are obviously fresh. Carefully check trees at a commercial tree lot to ensure the freshness of previously cut trees. Freshly cut trees grown by local, experienced growers will usually give more satisfaction than trees shipped long distances. Christmas trees commonly grown in New York State include Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Balsam Fir, Scotch Pine, White Spruce, and Blue Spruce. Choose a tree that will hold its needles well. Douglas Fir and Fraser Fir are excellent choices. So are Scotch and White Pines. Spruces dry and lose needles the quickest. Different tree species have different characteristics. Balsam Fir and the spruces are the least dense. Their large, open spaces provide lots of room for ornaments. Fraser Fir and Douglas Fir are a bit denser. Pines, especially Scotch Pine, are the bushiest. Scotch Pines are also among the least expensive trees. Another consideration is sharpness of the needles. If small children will be playing around the tree, you'll want to avoid the sharp needle spruces. Fragrance can also be an important criterion for selection. Fraser and Balsam Fir are very fragrant. Douglas Fir and pines are also somewhat fragrant. Putting a Christmas tree to a few tests on the tree lot can save you from buying one that is not fresh. The easiest test is to take a needle off the tree and flex it between your forefinger and thumb. The needle should be fresh enough to bend and spring back. It it's too stiff to bend, or if it breaks, the tree is not fresh. Another test is to pick up the tree and gently thump the bottom of the trunk against the ground. Some needles will fall off the tree when you do this, but it should only be a few. If there's a cascade of needles, don't buy the tree. You also can gently pull on a branch, allowing it to slide through your hand. If you have a hand full of tree needles after this test, look for another tree. Once you get your fresh cut Christmas tree home, place it in a cool, sheltered location like a porch or garage. Put the butt of the tree in a bucket of water. When you are ready to bring the tree indoors, saw off one inch of wood at the bottom of the trunk. A fresh cut helps speed up water uptake. Try not to taper a wide tree butt to fit a narrow stand this will cause excess moisture loss. Sterilize your tree stand to prevent bacteria build up, then place and secure the tree in its stand. Fill the reservoir with warm water. No additives or formulas have shown to preserve a tree longer than pure water. Check the water supply at least twice a day and add water as needed. A Christmas tree can consume more than a quart of water a day. Keep the tree away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators and heating vents. These will dry out a tree prematurely, but more important, they're a fire hazard. Before putting lights on the tree, check the cords and connections to make sure they're not cracked or broken. Fill all the light sockets on a cord. Empty light sockets can cause a fire. Before going to bed or leaving the house, unplug your Christmas tree lights. Finally, remove the tree from your house when it begins to dry and drop needles. Use it as a shelter for birds next to your feeder or remove branches to place over tender perennials. Master
Gardeners enjoy receiving your questions, please feel free to call
Cornell Cooperative Extension at 315.536.5123. Past articles published
in the Chronicle Express are available online at www.cce.cornell.edu/yates/mgindex.htm
Enjoy the holiday season. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
