An afternoon spent at a local Christmas tree farm and an evening gathered around the tree with twinkling lights is a tradition that many families share. But finding the perfect tree and keeping it looking good throughout the holiday season takes a little know-how.
For starters, know what kind of tree you want, what size of tree you want (in your home…and make sure that it fits in your car) and research local farms to make sure they have what you’d like.
Trees Commonly Found for Sale in East Central Illinois
Firs
Balsam Fir: Distinct semi-flat needles to upward-sloping branches with a dark green color and noticable fragrance, Balsam Firs have a slender spire-like tip.
Douglas Fir: Soft, shiny green needles, the Douglas Fir branches have conical shape with little space between the branches.
Fraser Fir: Known for its silvery-green, soft-to-the-touch needles, Fraser Firs have firm branches.
White Fir or Concolor Fir: The White Fir has a pleasing shape and aroma with bluish-green to dull-green needles.
Pines
White Pine: Often used to make garlands, wreaths and centerpieces, White Pines has long, soft needles with flexible branches.
Scotch Pine: Known for it’s excellent needle retention, Scotch Pines also have very sharp needles.
Spruce
Blue Spruce: Blue spruce has blue foliage, which can also appear silver, with strong limbs.
Once you find the Christmas tree that is the perfect height and width, check the freshness of the tree by checking the stickiness of the trunk of the tree. Another way to check the freshness, is to take a needle and bend it in half; pine needles should not break while fir needles will snap.
We’ve all seen movies where a slimy Christmas tree salesman is showing the freshness of the tree by bouncing the trunk on the ground. When the customer sees a lot of needles on the ground, they choose another tree. The test is true, though. If you gently tap the tree on the ground and a lot of needles fall off, choose another tree. A few needles are okay, just not a lot.
Look for a tree with even coloring. Every fir, pine and spruce tree have a different undertone, but overall the tree should be green. Make sure there aren’t browning needles or that the shade of green isn’t different throughout the tree.
Once the tree is home, you’ll have a bit of work to do to make sure the tree will stay fresh for a few weeks.
First, make sure your tree won’t be near the fireplace, heat sources or cold drafts. Also, avoid placing it in direct sunlight as it will make the tree fade faster.
Even if the tree was cut a few hours ago, the pores at the bottom of the tree sap may be clogging up the pores at the bottom of the tree. Cut at least one-half inch off the bottom before putting the tree in the sand to make sure the water can be absorbed through the bottom.
Once the tree is in the stand, keep water in the tree stand water the tree immediately. Research shows that plain water will keep trees fresh, you don’t need to add anything. Check the tree stand twice a day to make sure there is plenty of water in the stand.
