Christmas Tree Buying Tips

Whether you will be buying a pre-cut Christmas tree or cutting your own, there are a few things to look for when selecting a tree that will stand up well throughout the Christmas season.

First, consider the variety of Christmas tree you will buy. If you only know 'evergreen', ask the personnel at a local tree farm for a long-lasting variety. Balsam, fir, spruce and some varieties of pine are popular Christmas tree choices. Blue spruce have a pretty silvery-blue color to them, are well liked and hold up well, but many other species of spruce drop their needles very quickly, and so make poor Christmas tree choices.

Standing trees (those that have not been cut) usually last the longest, as they've had no time to dry out and/or begin to die. As long as a Christmas tree is healthy looking, free from signs of insect damage, blight, or disease, there is little to be concerned about when buying a tree that will be cut by you or tree farm workers. Look for bark that is intact, without splits, gaps or holes, with no signs of powdery sawdust on the trunk or beneath the tree.

These are good recommendations when purchasing a previously cut Christmas tree as well. Additionally (and also for standing trees), check the needles. Tug on a few. If needles pull off easily, the tree is drying out and will not hold needles well once you get it home. The warmth and heat of your house will exacerbate the process. Brittle, browning and yellowing needles are signs of a dying tree. Bend the needles to see that they are pliable and do not break easily.

Living Christmas trees, balled and wrapped in burlap, can be planted outside your home after the holidays have passed. Look for trees that are tightly wrapped in their native soil. To test for his, gently wiggle the trunk of the Christmas tree. It should not move around in the wrapped soil, but the ball should move with the tree. Trees balled in soil other than what they were grown in do not transplant well and will likely die. The soil should be moist, not at all dried out. If you plan to transplant your living Christmas tree, dig a hole before the ground freezes and fill it with mulch. This way, you will have the space ready for planting when the frozen soil cannot be dug into. Living trees that will be planted should only be kept indoors for about ten days.

The number one problem causing Christmas trees to die early and drop their needles is dehydration. When you get your healthy Christmas tree home, set it up immediately and water, or place in a bucket of water leaned against the building until it is set up. Give pre-cut trees and trees that have been cut for a while a fresh cut with a handsaw to open up the trunk so the tree can drink. If you do not have the means to do this at home, ask the seller to give the tree a fresh cut before you leave. Keep the water in your tree's base full, checking it daily. Be sure living trees are kept moist as well, and water every day. Once you let the tree's water dry up, the tree will begin to lose it's ability to drink water.

There have been many tips and tricks for keeping Christmas trees healthy and fresh. Adding sugar to tree water, feeding the tree with ginger ale or mixing the two are said to make a Christmas tree last and hold its needles. Some commercially prepared water additives are available as well.

Place your Christmas tree as far away from heat sources as possible. Not only will they dry out less quickly and last longer, but it is safer, too.

Real Christmas trees are a source of great beauty and joy throughout the Christmas and Holiday season. Follow these few simple tips and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available to you from Christmas tree growers for a long lasting, great smelling tree this Christmas.