Tips On Buying And Preserving The Perfect Christmas Tree This Year

Have you bought your Christmas for this year? Tis Christmas season and many are hunting for that perfect tree.

Here are a few facts you should know about Christmas trees.

The Christmas trees sold in America come mostly from seven states: Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington and Canada.

The most popular varieties of Christmas trees are as follows: Balsam, Fraser Fir and Douglas Fir.

Planting and growing Christmas trees is actually very good for the environment. It improves the soil stability and reduces greenhouse gases.

According to app.com, there are currently 350 million Christmas trees growing in all 50 states and there are approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees sold every year here in the states.

For each Christmas tree that is cut down, there are one to three seedlings planted in its place the following spring and it takes 15 years to grow a 6-foot to 7-foot high Christmas tree.

When you bring a Christmas tree home, before putting it in the stand, make sure that there is a fresh cut on the bottom of the trunk. When a tree is cut, more than half of its weight is water and if the stand runs out of water, the tree will sap over and prevent the tree from getting water and it will dry out.

If you buy a tree and are not ready to put it in the house yet, store it in a sheltered, unheated area, like a garage or a porch to protect it from the wind.

There have been many rumors that Christmas trees cause fires. This is untrue. A Christmas tree that has been taken care of shouldn’t catch fire and it should last for up to two months.

When purchasing a tree, make sure you know how high your ceilings are because a tree can look smaller outside than it really is. You should choose a Christmas tree that is at least 1 foot below your ceiling so there is room for decorations.

You can tell how fresh a Christmas tree is by running your hand over the branches. The needles should not be brittle, break or come off when being touched.

You should put your Christmas tree in a place away from heat and draft sources, such as fireplaces, radiators and television sets. Always test light cords and connections before using them to make sure they don’t have cords with cracked insulation or broken and empty sockets. It’s also very important to use only UL or FM-approved light strings on a live tree. Be sure to unplug lights before going to bed or leaving the house.

Use only noncombustible decorations on your Christmas trees.

When done with the tree, don’t burn its branches in the fireplace. Christmas trees create an oily soot, which can damage the fireplace and it can throw off an extreme amount of heat.

Here is an inexpensive solution you can make yourself at home to help preserve the life and freshness of your Christmas tree.

“PRODUCE PETE’S CHRISTMAS TREE PRESERVATIVE

INGREDIENTS:

1 gallon hot water

2 cups Karo syrup

4 teaspoons bleach (plain)

6 iron tablets, crushed and dissolved

DIRECTIONS:

Make a fresh cut on the tree with a saw by cutting 1-inch off the bottom of the trunk.
Place the tree in the stand, then add the hot water mixture so that the fresh cut doesn’t dry up and resist taking the water.”

Merry Christmas and here’s to finding the perfect Christmas tree.

[Image via Shutterstock)