«We want a live Christmas tree, as thick as possible«, you hear in the parking lot where Christmas trees are sold. In order for the tree to be beautiful and last a long time in the house, you need to pay attention to completely different things.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA FOR THE CHOICE
Lina Puodžiūtė, instructor of the modern gardening class «The Yellow Wheelbarrow», explains that the main factor affecting the Christmas tree is the loss of moisture. The guideline is straightforward: the longer and «thicker» the needles are, the better the tree is at retaining moisture. The shorter the needles, which appear drier and droopy, the quicker the tree will start to shed its needles.
Be particularly mindful of this if you plan to keep the Christmas tree close to a heater in your house or set it on a warm floor. The hot, dry air in your home does not really assist your Christmas tree in lasting longer, and extra heat sources only encourage drying out.
WHAT VARIETY OF TREE TO CHOOSE?
The specialist shared his practical experience of how Christmas trees resist dry indoor air. We lined up from able to resist longer to the fastest falling peaks:
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- Thorn fir, also called silver fir.
- Silver fir (common)
- Serbian spruce and Norwegian spruce
- Silver fir ‘Conica’
This ordering is only indicative, it is very important to pay attention to when the Christmas tree will be dug up or cut down and in what conditions it will be stored in the house. If it is particularly hot (for example on a heated floor), we recommend choosing a pine or silver Christmas tree. Otherwise you can choose a simple Christmas tree.
POTTED CHRISTMAS TREE – DOES IT REALLY LAST LONG?
Many hope that a living Christmas tree will remain beautiful longer at home and can later be transplanted. Christmas trees sold in pots are usually grown in open ground, and only in late autumn are they dug up and prepared in anticipation of the holidays, says L. Puodžiūtė.
The most important thing for a living Christmas tree is HUMIDITY. If you want to keep it beautiful for as long as possible, not only water the tree often, but also spray it. It also collects moisture through the ends, the color will appear richer and the ends will last longer. Prepare water from the evening, let it settle and spray. Don’t forget the basic safety rules: turn off and pull the electric garlands.
If you plan to put up a tree after the holidays, keep it at home as short as possible – no more than two weeks, preferably even less. The heat can wake it from hibernation and the bursting buds won’t tell you it’s not spring yet.
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Growing Broccoli From Seeds: Try It Yourself!If you transplant it outdoors later, it’s best to choose the tree itself a pot as large as possible (so that the roots are as little damaged as possible), or grown specifically in pots.
WHEN TO BUY A CUT TREE?
To make the tree beautiful, don’t look for the one with the thickest branches, but those that are which is cut last. Feel free to ask the dealers, this is the essential and most important criterion.
In shopping centers, the first cut Christmas trees appear in late November – early December. In most cases they are the first, because they only start to dry out after a good month, they almost fall off. So if they are cut a week or two before arrival, that month comes right around the holiday season. Therefore, ask when the trees sold will be cut down.
Ordinary Christmas trees keep well for two weeks, so you shouldn’t rush to buy them in early December. The specialist recommends purchasing a simple cut Christmas tree no earlier than December 10thwhen there are only two weeks left until the holidays. The later the tree is cut down, the better the needles will last.
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Nurseries in Poland and «Green is life 2024» exhibition: my impressionsTo stay beautiful longer, water it. A Christmas tree can absorb a cup of water every day. If the spruce is in a special support, try to ensure that it does not lack water. It is advisable to also spray cut fir trees.
WHICH TREE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
L. Puodžiūtė, teacher of the gardening course «The Yellow Wheelbarrow», suggests looking at Christmas trees in a non-standard way and not striving for perfection. Densely formed branches do not always look good, because larger toys do not hang well, but simply rest on the branches. It is convenient when the branches are located at a height of about 20 cm from each other, then there is enough space for toys, the Christmas tree does not seem overloaded.
We conclude with unexpected advice from a specialist: don’t look for a perfectly formed Christmas tree, let it be natural and interesting. If you want it perfect, buy a plastic one, the branches will be identical and… very boring.
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