Christmas Tree Care
Tis’ the season to pull out your wallets! And one of the 1st purchases of the season is the Christmas tree. Here are a few guidelines to follow when choosing a Christmas tree and how to care for the tree once its in your home and performing its function as the centerpiece of celebration.
Christmas Trees at Lowe's in Indian Harbour Beach
Where- We don’t have a lot of choices here in Florida. In most Northern states, you could go to a lot, a farm, or a forest to select your Christmas tree. Here in Florida, you would think that the Christmas trees don’t grow on trees and so your pretty much limited to the Christmas tree lots which typically spring up right after Thanksgiving. That is actually not the case. There are dozens of Christmas tree farms in Florida. The Florida Christmas Tree Association has a complete list. Reasonable price, distance, and a good selection are important factors.
When - I am a firm believer in the unwritten law that Christmas does not start till after Thanksgiving. Wives around the world disagree with me. With proper care, a healthy tree will last well over a month inside your home if it was reasonably healthy when purchased, and the tree remains well irrigated.
What – Grown in Florida, are the pines and cypress varieties. Shipped in, typically you will find the firs with most popular being the Douglas and the Frasier. Whichever variety you choose, choose a tree that is healthy. Color should be consistent with the variety you choose, no browning or black areas. Needles should not fall off easily and the tree should not be brittle. A good test is the ’shake’ technique: Hold the tree by the center trunk, on end, and shake it firmly but gently. You should only have some needle loss.
Preparation- Once you have selected your Christmas tree, you should cut an inch or two off the base of the trunk. Most tree vendors will do this for you. This is so the tree can absorb water through its trunk. Once you have a fresh-cut base, be careful not to bump or bruise the base or the water will not absorb through the trunk vasculaires easily. The cut should remain good for absorption up to 6-8 hours but the sooner you get it into base, the better. Also trim the lower branches high enough to fit into the base. Leave room for presents!
Care - Once you place the tree securely into the base with water, its best to let the Christmas tree ’settle’ over night. The branches will fall into place and some needles will fall off. Water Water Water! An unwatered tree will die quickly and also creates a fire hazard. Even though the tree is not in the ground anymore, it will absorb quite a bit of water and lose most through evaporation. Inside, dry, air conditioned homes or on crisp, cool days, a tree can go through quite a bit of water, so check it frequently.
Decorating - The most important part. I prefer empty beer cans, but this is all up to your discretion! Have fun and have a happy and merry Christmas!
Date: November 28, 2009
Categories: General