Caring For Your Fresh Cut Christmas Tree
A fresh cut Christmas tree brings warmth and a piece of nature into your home during the holiday season. A real tree lifts your spirits and decorated and lit with lights brings back memories of childhood, and Christmas past. The smell is the greatest treat of all!
The reasons to purchase a real tree are many and varies by each individual. In 2021 there is once again a demand for real trees. Since 2015 fresh cut Christmas tree sales have doubled in North America.
Before you round up the family and head out to buy your Christmas tree this year here are a few tips to remember as you enjoy the outing.
Determine where you are putting the tree in your home. Measure the height and width of that space. Keep the tree away from fireplaces and radiators. Make sure you will have access to the water reservoir. If you don’t have a remote for the lights, remember you will have to access the wall plug so attach an extension cord to it right away.
Test all the light strings to make sure they are working. This is one step you do not want to forget!
Dress warmly. Christmas tree shopping is an enjoyable outdoor shopping experience and it usually takes some time to find the perfect tree. Include a good length of twine and a utility knife.
When choosing a tree make sure that it is not dropping too many needles. A few dropping is not cause for concern. Gently run your hand along the branches of the tree in the direction opposite to the natural lay of the needles. You can also stand the tree upright, tap the end of the trunk on the ground and look for excessive needle drop.
By the time a Christmas tree arrives at a tree lot or before, the cut end of the trunk has calloused over. This keeps the tree from drinking water once it is in the tree stand. If you are putting the tree up within a few hours of purchase, ask the salesperson for a fresh cut. This opens the end of the tree, allowing it to soak up to a gallon of water per day and keep it fresh in your home. When you get the tree home immediately immerse the trunk in a bucket of warm water for a few hours. You may add a tree preservative to the water or use just plain water – it is up to you. Check the tree water reservoir every day – in the first 24 hours a tree will drink a lot of water.
If you will not be putting it up right away, do not get a fresh cut and store it in a location outside in the cold out of the wind. When you are ready to put it up, cut the bottom two inches off the trunk and immerse it in warm water for a few hours. This gives you time to prepare your tree stand and fill with fresh water. Lay out the tree clean up bag under the stand ready for the day when the tree comes down in the new year. Cover the area with a tree skirt.
Once the tree is in the stand, let it relax for awhile before you decorate. The branches will fall naturally.
In Canada most Christmas trees are grown on tree farms and are planted as a crop to sell. The first crop cannot be sold for 8-10 years! For every tree harvested after that time, a seedling is planted in the spring. The most popular heights of 5-7 ft. usually take 8 years or more to reach the desired height. During that time a lot of work goes on yearly – fertilizing, weeding, shearing to shape (which is usually done by hand and for a large farm take months each year.) Of course, like any farming business there are obstacles to be dealt with; hard frosts, wet soil, heat, drought, disease and insects.
The main provinces growing trees are Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia. There are a few Christmas tree farms in Saskatchewan which grow Scots Pine, Balsam Fir, White (Black Hills) Spruce and Colorado Blue Spruce. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of natural trees.
There is a very real possibility that there will be a fresh cut Christmas tree shortage this season. Most of Canada experienced an excessively dry, hot summer without rain and that has damaged a lot of crops. Currently the devastating floods in B.C. are stopping growers from shipping their trees to anyone in Canada. Some B.C. tree farms are under water. B.C. is solely a domestic supplier and does not export its trees to other countries.
Floral Acres has received a shipment of fresh cut Christmas trees; Douglas Fir and Balsam Fir. Shop early for the best selection!
