When It Comes To Christmas Trees, Choose Wisely

‘Come on kids, let’s go get the Christmas tree!”

I love hearing those words as much now as when I was a child. Choosing and decorating the perfect tree is part of the magic of Christmas.

Because our tree goes up the first weekend of December and comes down the first weekend in January, it’s imperative that we buy a fresh tree. The only way to ensure this is to cut it at our favorite you-cut tree plantation.

Though trees found at tree lots are fine, many of them have been harvested weeks earlier and kept in cold storage for later shipment to all parts of the country. Most trees from tree lots stay fresh only 10 to 14 days. If you’re planning to keep your tree up longer than two weeks, consider choosing a tree from one of our many local plantations. Just bring your good spirits and bungee cords (to strap the tree to the car). The plantation provides the saw and hot cider.

There are usually three types of Christmas trees from which to choose: pine, spruce and fir.

Pines offer a more bushy look with their whorls of needles. Scotch, Austrian or ponderosa are beautiful when flocked.

Spruce trees are elegant with their stiff branches and symmetrical shape. Ornaments don’t seem to weigh down the branches so you can use heavier ornaments. The needles, though, are as sharp as, well, needles.

Firs are the traditional Christmas trees, with their wonderful fragrance and soft needles. There are a number of varieties of firs from which to choose: grand, concolor, balsam, noble and Douglas (which is not a true fir).

The only problem with plantation-grown firs is that they’ve all been sheared. The heavy shearing produces very thick growth. I’ve spent many hours thinning branches to create open spaces for hanging ornaments. Make sure you handle this pruning task before you string the lights. Cutting through wires can, at best, be unpleasant, and at worst, be quite dangerous.

Whether you choose your tree from a lot or a plantation, there are a few simple steps to ensure your tree spends quality time in your home.

The stand: The little shallow tree stands that many of us grew up with are not adequate for today’s trees. (They probably weren’t adequate for the trees of yesterday either.)

Those shallow stands hold about a quart of water. Depending on its size, a fresh-cut tree can drink five gallons of water or more by the end of the first week. To ensure the tree has plenty of water, the bottom of the trunk should be at the bottom of the stand and the stand should hold nearly a gallon of water.

Over the years, Jim and I have gone through an assortment of stands. Our last purchase has proven to be the best. Not only is the pan deep and wide, but the pegs are unique; they secure the tree upright by pressing against rather than screwing into the trunk.

The end cut: As soon as you get the tree home, recut at least a quarter of an inch off the trunk. Immediately after cutting, submerge the trunk into water. Do not allow the freshly cut end to be exposed to air. If it is exposed, the tree will seal off the end, preventing water uptake. Even fresh-cut trees from plantations should be recut when they arrive home. If you’re not going to decorate the tree for a few days, cut the trunk and stand it in a bucket of water. When you’re ready to decorate, recut the trunk once more.

Water: Again, the key is don’t allow the cut end to be exposed to air. I often hear, “I water at least twice a day, and still the tree dries out.” The size of the tree and the size of the stand will determine how often you’ll need to water. Let’s say you water in the morning and again in the afternoon, but in the meantime, the tree drains all the water in the stand exposing the cut end.

Your tree may be on its way to becoming a bird feeder in the back yard. Once the cut end seals over, there is nothing you can do short of removing all the ornaments and recutting.

Flocking and spraying the tree with an anti-desiccant such as Wilt-Pruf will also help keep moisture in the needles.

And finally, always keep the tree away from heat vents or heat units of any kind, especially the fireplace. With proper care, you can have a fresh tree that won’t shed its needles until well after the holidays.

Update on tunes

Last week I recommended that shopping lists for gardeners include CDs sets titled “Garden Music.” I neglected, however, to tell you how to get them. Unfortunately, they aren’t available locally, but you can call the record label at (215) 628-2300, and they are available on the Web at www.gardenmusic.com and www.amazon.com.

Mark your calendar

The Friends of Manito are again sponsoring an excursion to the annual Pacific Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle early next year. The show is the third largest flower show in the country. The dates of the 2001 show are Feb. 7-11 but the tour runs Feb. 7-9.

Tickets include round-trip air fare from Spokane, two night’s lodging at Seattle’s Paramount Hotel, airport transfers, and two days of unlimited entry to the garden show. This year I have the honor of being a guest speaker at the show.

Please call I.T. Travel & Cruises (ask for Diane, Dawn or Charity), at (509) 326-9501 for more information and for tour prices. A deposit of $150 is required by Dec. 15 to reserve a spot on the tour.

The annual Holiday Open House at the Manito Park Gaiser Conservatory will run from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. from next Friday through Dec. 17.

On the first weekend only, the Friends of Manito will provide refreshments, live music, gift cart items and activities for children, including a visit from Santa. This event is free. Call the Manito office at 456-8038 for more information.