One of the earliest traditional memories most people have of the holiday season, no matter what their age or background, is that of the smell of a fresh cut Christmas tree.
While many remember going into the woods to cut their trees themselves, most now purchase their trees off of lots each year.
Cut Christmas trees are probably the most highly used greenery in homes over the holidays. And don’t feel guilty about buying a cut tree. Today’s trees are grown for this purpose and are replanted soon after harvest. While they are growing they clean and purify the air we breathe.
After the holidays, they can be mulched or recycled. Branches can be off and laid in your garden to protect perennials and shrubs through winter. Branches also may decorate a window box to add winter color. Sink a whole tree into a pond to provide habitat for fish. Chip it to use for mulch. Use the trunk as a garden stake, an edger or a rustic trellis. Use the needles in a sachet. There are many ways to enjoy a tree and still be a good steward for the environment.
A tour of the trees
So which kind of tree should you choose? It depends on personal preference.
The Fraser and Noble firs are some of the best. Scotch pine is often used because it’s a fast-growing tree that is quickly replaced and less expensive. Native trees such as Piñon and White fir are suitable too. Some people remember a traditional Balsam, but in our dry climate, it dries out quickly.
If you don’t cut your own tree, shop for the freshest one you can find. Keep in mind that cut trees should not be inside much longer than 3 weeks.
Begin by taking a few needles between your fingers and gently move your fingers toward one another. The needles should bend quite a bit before breaking. This is a sign of a freshly cut tree that has retained its moisture and will be good in the home. If the needles snap quickly, the tree was cut long ago and you should choose another.
Take a look at the ground under the tree. If there are lots of brown needles around it, or if the tree drops a lot of needles when it is given a good shake, move on.
Caring for your tree
Daily watering is the most important care tip to keep your tree fresh and enjoyable throughout the season. There are tree preservative preparations available to add to the water in your tree stand and this is helpful too in keeping the tree fresh.
Wilt-Pruf will help you keep your greenery fresh and green throughout the season. This is a nontoxic, non-odorous spray that coats your trees, greens and wreaths to help retain water in the needles. Available at most places that sell live greenery and trees, it also reduces fire hazard and makes it easier to clean up after the holidays. This is a good treatment for wreaths, which also may be kept fresh by dipping them in water outdoors every day or two.
If you have to trim a few boughs off the bottom of the tree to either make it fit in its stand or to make it fit in the house, keep these and use them as decorations around the house later in the season. Keep them fresh by placing in water, treating them with a preservative and take inside at the last minute. Be certain to put some sort of protection on your furniture if you are going to use any of this greenery on your tables. The sap from these plants can take the finish off of wooden furniture.
If you choose a live tree for your Christmas tree, take this inside and decorate at the last possible opportunity. Keep it moist while indoors and water with ice cubes.
After the holidays, put it outside in the garage or porch again to help it adapt to the temperature change and then plant it in the hole that hopefully you prepared in the fall before the ground froze.
While two-thirds of the trees now used at Christmas are artificial, there’s nothing that takes the place of a real tree and it wouldn’t be Christmas in our house without one (or two). Take this opportunity this year to rekindle childhood memories of the sights and smells of holidays.
Gail Vanik can be reached at Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery at 565-8274 or at fourseasons@animas.net.
