You may have a favorite variety. You may be considering a live tree for the first time. You may want to start a family tradition to go cut your own tree.

So many decisions. Where to start?

The first question is real or artificial. What are the pros and cons? There are two organizations that promote either real or artificial trees.

The organization promoting the benefits of real Christmas Trees is the Real Christmas Tree Board. Their website is attached:

https://realchristmastreeboard.com/why-real/

The organization that promotes the benefits of artificial trees is The American Christmas Tree Association. The website is attached:

https://www.christmastreeassociation.org/

So, if you checked those out and have decided on buying an artificial tree or using the one from last year,

you can ignore the rest of this post.

But if your thinking real, read on.

It is the time of year to start thinking about Christmas and a real tree. And with Christmas comes decorations. And decorations mean Trees. Most growers and retailers will begin selling the live trees the day after Thanksgiving. So, what can you do to keep your live tree as fresh as possible?

What type or variety of live trees are available? Michigan State (Thank goodness it's not Michigan! I know the BIG game is Saturday), just posted a very helpful guide to varieties of trees by species:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/choosing_the_right_christmas_tree

So, have you decided what kind? In review:

The best needle retention of most trees seems to be the pines. White Pine and Scott’s Pine are two trees that have been in the industry for years.

White Pine has soft needles and flexible branches making it a challenge to decorate with heavy ornaments.

Scot’s Pine have stiffer branches but may not be readily available from many growers.

Fir trees have become the most prominent trees in the industry.

Frasier Fir has a great growth habit, has stiff branches that can hold many ornaments, and tends to have a great fragrance in the home.

Balsam Fir are typically imported to Ohio from the south but make a great Christmas Tree.

Canaan Fir is the most common Fir grown in Ohio. The seed source of this tree was Canaan Valley, West Virginia. But it grows will in Ohio. It has a similar growth habit to Frasier Fir, holds needles well, and has a good fragrance.

White Fir is another fir that may be available in Ohio. It has a looser branch habit than other firs but has an outstanding blue-green color that can rally Blue Spruce, but needles are soft.

Spruce is another species available in Ohio. These tend to have challenges holding needles throughout the holiday season, so the recommendation is to cut these the second week of the Christmas Tree season, which being the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Blue Spruce has been in the industry for years. It has a great blue color but has sharp needles, making it a challenge to decorate. Many customers still prefer this tree.

White Spruce has a shorter needle, great conical growth habit, and dense foliage.

Norway Spruce may be available from some growers. They have a short needle, green color, conical shape and dense.

So, what should I select? The short answer is “Whatever You Like Best!”

The first step on keeping a cut tree fresh is buying a fresh tree. The very best way to ensure a fresh tree is to cut your own! The following is a link to locate a “Cut your Own” tree in Ohio and/or the United States:

Several websites are helpful in locating farms in Ohio:

https://ohiochristmastree.org/christmas-tree-farm-finder

In addition, The Real Christmas Tree Board offers links to locate farms as well throughout the United States:

https://realchristmastreeboard.com/find-a-retailer/

So, the tree has been cut. The key is what to do after you select a tree.

If you are not going to put the tree up in the house right away, place a fresh cut on the trunk and place it in a bucket of water either in a shady place or in a cool garage.

When you are ready to bring the tree into the house to display it, follow these steps:

Put a FRESH cut on the tree, taking of ¾ to an inch off the trunk. The trunk needs to be in water within an hour or less.

The tree needs to be WATERED!!!

When first in the home, it may need to be watered twice a day.

The tree needs to be watered daily. My recommendation is to add water to the stand at the same time each day by the same person!
The tree should be placed in a home in a cooler room not next to a heat source. Cool temperature means in the low 70’s.
If/when the tree needles begin to dry, it needs to be removed from the house, even if this is before Christmas. A dry tree is Not Safe!
Water is the BEST way to keep a tree fresh. If the trunk dries out, it may stop taking up water. It will begin to dry out.
As far as lights, twinkle lights tend to give off less heat that the traditional larger bulbs. Heat is not a friend to Christmas Trees

If you prefer, watch this short video on how to care for a live Christmas Tree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcO6jjz2Zsk&t=1s

For additional information and videos on Real Christmas Trees visit the following:

Information about real trees in general with video content:

http://www.realchristmastreeboard.com/

In addition, they host a Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/RealChristmasTreeBoard

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

Ron Wilson