concord to the National Christmas Tree Association ( www.realchristmastrees.org ) , 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sell each twelvemonth . Of those with real tree , about three out of four corrupt them at retail release , the others cut their own at a tree farm — a trend that has been increasing in recent years . If you get a tree , either way , this year , follow a few tip in choosing and care for longest life and safety inside . You may have a choice of several tree coinage .
Spruce trees have single needle one - third to one in long , attach to the twig by peg - like projection . The phonograph needle is four - sided . ( you may feel the sides by rolling it in your digit . ) Spruce is generally setose when fray the phonograph needle , and so , for this reason , are not the first choice of many tree diagram shoppers . You may see Norway , Colorado , or white spruce .
The balsam fir also has undivided needles , but they are n’t quite as prickly , nor can you wind the needle in your fingers as with spruces . Their dark green needle are unconditional , and longer than those of the spruce – about three - one-quarter to one and one - one-half in long . Balsam fir tree is one of the most vulgar and favored choices in the Northeast .
Many growers regard an even better pick than the balsam fir to be the Fraser fir . It is very like , having a pleasant scent , but branch are a second more sturdy ( better for heavy decoration ) , and grow slightly up . It grows naturally at higher elevations of the Appalachian mountains . You may find another full alternative – the Canaan true fir — which shares the trait of both Fraser and balsam firs , but may be best considered as a character of balsam fir . Another species , the Douglas fir , has flavourless needles of standardised duration to those of the balsam fir . The buds are head on the Douglas fir but rounded on the balsam fir . It is a pop pick in western nation .
Most pines have two to five needles bound together at the groundwork by a sheath . The needles are about two to five inches long . White pines often do n’t hold their needles as long indoors as some other species , while Scotch Pine is one of the more uncouth choice , peculiarly in the South and the Midwest . Depending on the neighborhood of North America , you may feel other choices such as eastern reddish cedar , Black Hills spruce , Ponderosa true pine , concolor ( white ) fir , baronial fir , and Korean true fir .
Before you even leave home , mensurate the place your tree will occupy — both pinnacle and width . Then take a tape measure with you . Trees always seem to wait smaller in the big outdoors than when we get them into our homes ! This simple footstep can save money corrupt a tree diagram too large , and special newspaper clipping once the tree diagram is inner .
Also , before leave home plurality a mantle or tarp to wrap the tree if you ca n’t fit it inside your fomite , as well as enough circle to splice securely to your vehicle . Some tree farms have netting sleeves to slip your trees into , as well as string . A yoke of work gloves is useful , peculiarly if you ’ll be cutting your own , as is a hand saw ( many tree farms will provide saws ) .
Those opt to “ geld their own tree ” at a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree plantation may save money , as these growers often ask a fixed price for any Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Sometimes a sleigh drive or coffee berry and doughnuts at a warming hut are available . Some firm allow you to tag your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ahead of time to rationalize just before the holiday . Good buy also can be see at retail outlets , though monetary value are unremarkably higher as someone else has provided the labor and transportation . Shop betimes for a wider pick of tree , and for fresh tree that will last longer .
How can you easy check for freshness ? First , pinch the needles . If they bend rather than smash , the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is fresh . guide your hand along the branches to see if the acerate leaf stay on or many flow off . Or ricochet the stump goal of the tree diagram on the ground . If too many needle fall off , choose another tree . Another way to check for freshness is to find the base of the tree diagram . If it is pasty with resin , the tree was recently switch off and should stand up well throughout the holidays .
Upon getting your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree home , especially if you did n’t cut your own , immediately place the base in a bombastic bucketful of affectionate pee . Warm piddle is absorbed faster than stale . Research has shown that plain spigot piss is best for trees to last longsighted . nursing home concoctions such as whitener , Empirin , lemon - calcined lime soda , and many preservative really may shorten tree sprightliness .
It is useful to recut a one-half inch off the base to open up up the water watercraft in the trunk before pose it into H2O . One to two inches bring down off is not require as often recommend ( unless you need to shorten the tree size of it ) , nor is an angled cut . Do n’t trim sides off the base of the automobile trunk as that is where the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ask up its water .
Get a point of view that can hold the bole and your tree size . Use a stand that hold at least a dry quart of water for small trees , a gallon for expectant one , as a freshly cut evergreen can drink that much water each Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . Generally , compute on a quart of body of water for each in of trunk diameter at the theme . So a trunk four inches across ideally should have a outdoor stage holding four quarts ( gal ) of water .
If your tree does n’t start “ drinking ” water decent by , and you followed all these tip , it could be because the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree has n’t conform from the out-of-doors and started to dry out out if you cut your own . Or , if precut and fresh , it may not suck up much weewee until it start to dry out .
select a localization forth from heat energy sources ( estrus vents , radiator , wood stoves , sunny window ) and doorways . Tall trees may need to be assure with telegram to walls and ceiling for documentation . I have a bookcase affix securely to the rampart that I tie my tall trees to .
Be indisputable to ensure tree diagram daily and add water as require . heat rooms , especially with draw tune heat , can dry out trees rapidly . Keep in judgement attack hazards of bouncy trees indoors often are overrated by the metier . allot to information from the National Fire Protection Association , both live and artificialChristmas treesare heat in only one one-tenth of one percent ( 0.1 pct ) of all home blast . Trees that are kept smart , using these tips , and using galvanizing lights with approve and safe wiring , are very unmanageable to ignite . The main problem with dry Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is a myopic lifewith needles dropping . nibble a tonic tree diagram , and keep it fresh , and you ’ll get the enjoyment you expect over the holidays .
CHOOSING AND CARE OF CHRISTMAS TREES
Dr. Leonard Perry , Horticulture Professor EmeritusUniversity of Vermont
