Saturday, December 3, 2011

What type of tree do you put up?

If you're getting a tree, and haven't picked one out yet, here's a few suggestions from the National Christmas Tree Association...

Tree Species Characteristics
  1. WHITE PINE: The largest pine in the U.S., the White Pine has soft, flexible needles and is bluish-green in color. Needles are 2 ½ - 5 in. long. White Pine’s have good needle retention, but have little aroma. They aren’t recommended for heavy ornaments.
  2. WHITE SPRUCE: The White Spruce is excellent for ornaments; it’s short, stiff needles are ½ - 3/4 in. long and have a blunt tip. They are bluish-green - green in color, but have a bad aroma when needles are crushed. They have excellent foliage color and have a good, natural shape. The needle retention is better in a White Spruce than it is among other spruces.
  3. FRASER FIR: The Fraser fir branches turn slightly upward. They have good form and needle-retention. They are dark blue-green in color. They have a pleasant scent, and excellent shipping characteristics as well.
  4. COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE: Often used for stuffing pine-pillows, these sharp needles are 1 - 1 ½ in. in length. This species is bluish-gray in color and has a bad odor when needles are crushed. This Christmas Tree has good symmetrical form and has an attractive blue foliage. It also has good needle retention.
  5. CONCOLOR FIR: These small, narrow needles are around 1 - 1 ½ in. in length and occur in rows. They have good foliage color, good needle retention, and a pleasing shape and aroma.
  6. DOUGLAS FIR: These soft needles are dark green - blue green in color and are approximately 1 - 1 ½ in. in length. The douglas fir needles radiate in all directions from the branch. When crushed, these needles have a sweet fragrance. They are one of the top major Christmas tree species in the U.S.
  7. BALSAM FIR: These needles are 3/4 - 1 ½ in. in length and last a very long time. This tree has a dark-green appearance and retains its pleasing fragrance throughout the Christmas season.
  8. SCOTCH PINE: Approximately 1 in. in length, these needles don’t even fall when they’re dry, providing excellent needle retention. The color is a bright green. The most common Christmas tree in the U.S., the scotch pine has an excellent survival rate, is easy to replant, has great keepability and will remain fresh throughout the holiday season.
  9. NOBLE FIR: These needles turn upward, exposing the lower branches. Known for its beauty, the noble fir has a long keep ability, and its stiff branches make it a good tree for heavy ornaments, as well as providing excellent greenery for wreaths and garland.
  10. LEYLAND CYPRESS: The most popular Christmas tree in the South-East, the Leyland Cypress is dark green - gray in color and has very little aroma. Because it is not in the Pine or Fir family, it does not produce sap, so that those with an allergy to sap can still enjoy a Leyland as their Christmas Tree.
  11. VIRGINIA PINE: These branches are stout and woody and respond very well to trimming. It is small- medium in size and its foliage becomes extremely dense. Aside from being a good nesting site for woodpeckers, the Virginia pine continues to be the most popular Christmas tree in the South.

How to Care for Your Farm-Grown Fresh Christmas Tree

When a Christmas tree is cut, over half of its weight is water. With proper care, you can maintain the quality of your displayed trees. Below are a number of tips relating to the care of displayed trees:
  1. Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.
  2. Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.
  3. Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.
  4. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.
  5. To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.
  6. Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.
  7. Keep displayed trees away from sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption each day.
  8. The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.
  9. Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.
  10. Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does not improve water uptake.
  11. Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree.
  12. Always inspect light sets prior to placing them on the tree. If worn, replace with a new set.
  13. Do not overload electrical circuits.
  14. Always turn off the tree lights when leaving the house or when going to bed.
  15. Monitor the tree for freshness. After Christmas or if the tree is dry, remove it from the house.
  16. Go to www.realchristmastrees.org and type in your ZIP code to find a recycling program near you.
  17. Never burn any part of a Christmas tree in a wood stove or fireplace.
 
We usually get a Noble Fir....

But once we got a Frazier fir...                 

And my brother ALWAYS gets a Douglas fir..

I really like Blue Spruce, but the needles are a little bit pokey..

My Dad gave us a Pine tree that he had bought live for Christmas once.. It's getting huge out by my barn, and now is home to a little rabbit family.. (this pic is not it, just looks a lot like it..)

Whatever tree you choose - pine, fir, spruce, artificial or palm,  I bet you can find some beautiful decorations at OnlineAuction.com!







And top your tree with this glittering star from Macys - new in box! But hurry - already got a bid - ends soon!




3 comments:

Fleapirates said...

You put that Packers ornament out there for ME to see... I know it! I know it! :D

chateycathey said...

Awesome post. Never knew that much about Christmas trees before as I use an artificial one. Just the two of us so we don't do much of a fuss.

kornkountrytreasures said...

I'd love to get a real tree like we used to when I was a kid but they dry out so fast and our Christmas seems to go forever til our daughter and SIL get home!! Maybe one of these days!!

I can remember putting it on the top of the old '46 Plymouth!!