Which real christmas tree

should I choose to take home?

 

There’s often more to choosing your perfect tree than meets the eye. Our customers love the scent of a real Christmas Tree. Some trees have a stronger christmasy scent than others. Norway Spruce have probably the strongest and most recognisable christmasy scent followed by Fraser Fir, then Blue Spruce followed by Serbian Spruce and Nordmann Fir.

Here are some suggestions that you may wish to consider before leaving home to choose your Real Christmas Tree.

The Size

When it comes to choosing your real Christmas Tree, size really does matter! Trees can appear smaller than they really are, when growing in a field or standing in an open yard. It is really worth knowing the height of the room where you intend to place your tree and the width that you have to play with. This is less important for trees that are to be placed outside, which customers increasingly do when they buy a second tree. It can be a good idea to bring a tape measure with you. Trees generally can be made a little smaller by reducing the size of the leading top branch or by sawing a couple of inches from the base, which we often advise in order to help the tree take water from its stand. You can also prune the sides a little and we can show you how to do this without leaving an eye catching scar. But go carefully, as making trees a little larger is a bit more tricky!

 

 

 

 

Looking After Your Tree

The tricks to keeping needle drop to a bare minimum for all varieties and to keep your real Christmas Tree full of moisture and looking and smelling great right through to New Year are:

  1. Ensure your real Christmas Tree is harvested as close to Christmas as possible – (some trees that are on general sale are harvested as early as October or early November and are bone dry at their point of sale)
  2. Keep your tree in a cool place before taking it into your home
  3. Saw 2 inches from the base of the tree when you get it home and place it in water straight away. A bucket of water will be fine ’til you take it indoors. Think of your real Christmas Tree as you would a bunch of fresh flowers. When your tree goes indoors use a water containing stand that has an adequate water reservoir. Your freshly cut tree will take up to 1 litre of fresh water for every I meter of height (or 1 pint for every 1 foot)

 

 

 

Needle Retention

Needle retention is often at the forefront of customers minds. There is no such thing as a “Non -Needle Drop Tree” even if it is an artificial one. Real Christmas Trees generally fall into one of two categories. Fir Trees and Spruce Trees. Fir Trees generally have softer needles which are firmly attached to the branch. Spruce Trees generally have stiffer needles that attach less firmly to the branch. All real trees tend to drop needles when they are deprived of water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Price

Price is always an important factor. Customers often wonder why different varieties of trees are of different prices and why prices vary with height of tree. On average our trees have been growing in our fields for 6 to 8 years before they are harvested. Each year we have to hand cultivate and care for our trees to keep them growing healthily and in great shape. Some varieties grow more quickly and are less problematic, in the above respects, than others. Less expensive trees are not inferior to more expensive trees. They have just been harvested after fewer growing seasons and therefore are not as expensive for us to grow and maintain.

The Size

When it comes to choosing your real Christmas Tree, size really does matter! Trees can appear smaller than they really are, when growing in a field or standing in an open yard. It is really worth knowing the height of the room where you intend to place your tree and the width that you have to play with. This is less important for trees that are to be placed outside, which customers increasingly do when they buy a second tree. It can be a good idea to bring a tape measure with you. Trees generally can be made a little smaller by reducing the size of the leading top branch or by sawing a couple of inches from the base, which we often advise in order to help the tree take water from its stand. You can also prune the sides a little and we can show you how to do this without leaving an eye catching scar. But go carefully, as making trees a little larger is a bit more tricky!

 

Needle Retention

Needle retention is often at the forefront of customers minds. There is no such thing as a “Non -Needle Drop Tree” even if it is an artificial one. Real Christmas Trees generally fall into one of two categories. Fir Trees and Spruce Trees. Fir Trees generally have softer needles which are firmly attached to the branch. Spruce Trees generally have stiffer needles that attach less firmly to the branch. All real trees tend to drop needles when they are deprived of water.

 

Looking After Your Tree

The tricks to keeping needle drop to a bare minimum for all varieties and to keep your real Christmas Tree full of moisture and looking and smelling great right through to New Year are:

  1. Ensure your real Christmas Tree is harvested as close to Christmas as possible – (some trees that are on general sale are harvested as early as October or early November and are bone dry at their point of sale)
  2. Keep your tree in a cool place before taking it into your home
  3. Saw 2 inches from the base of the tree when you get it home and place it in water straight away. A bucket of water will be fine ’til you take it indoors. Think of your real Christmas Tree as you would a bunch of fresh flowers. When your tree goes indoors use a water containing stand that has an adequate water reservoir. Your freshly cut tree will take up to 1 litre of fresh water for every I meter of height (or 1 pint for every 1 foot)

 

Price

Price is always an important factor. Customers often wonder why different varieties of trees are of different prices and why prices vary with height of tree. On average our trees have been growing in our fields for 6 to 8 years before they are harvested. Each year we have to hand cultivate and care for our trees to keep them growing healthily and in great shape. Some varieties grow more quickly and are less problematic, in the above respects, than others. Less expensive trees are not inferior to more expensive trees. They have just been harvested after fewer growing seasons and therefore are not as expensive for us to grow and maintain.

Another thing to think about with your real Christmas Tree is will it fit into your tree stand or whether you are going to source a new water holding stand to fit your trees needs perfectly.

Also, customers sometimes wonder if they can fit their real Christmas Tree in their car in order to take it home. Our careful staff are expert in safely fitting trees into all manner of vehicles but cars with folding rear seats and/or hatch backs are great for transporting trees home. We do offer a delivery service if necessary.

Closed for the season

We're now closed for the 2023 season. We'd like to wish you all a merry Christmas and a very happy New Year. See you again soon!