CHOOSING YOUR LIVE CHRISTMAS TREE
It's not too late to pick up a beautiful real tree for your home. Your local Notcutts will still have a wide selection of live Christmas trees for you to choose from and below are a few handy tips to make sure that you find your perfect tree to enjoy over Christmas and New Year.
Why choose a real tree?
A real tree is the center of traditional Christmas celebrations – the excitement of sizing up and buying the tree is for many the start of Christmas and a great way to get the kids to help out! Although an artificial tree may seem like a good option, saving money over the long term, many of us favour a real tree so that we can have a change in size or type each year. A real tree will also give your room a beautiful pine scent that is an essential part of Christmas.
What sorts of trees are available?
Notcutts stock three types of live tree outside in the plant sales area. Planteria staff are on hand to help you choose your tree and wrap it in a net to help you transport it home.
Norway Spruce
Seen by many of us as the traditional type of tree. The Norway Spruce has deep green, needle like leaves that are prickly to the touch. The trees tend to be quite dense in growth to give a bushy triangular shape. Needle holding qualities are good if they are cared for properly but these trees are not ‘needle fast’.
Nordmann Fir
These trees have larger, gray green leaves with a silvery underside that are softer to the touch than traditional Norway Spruce. They tend to have branches arranged in tiers that are spaced apart on the main trunk, which makes them perhaps easier to decorate. They are often wide trees so may need trimming or a large space to look their best. Needle holding qualities are excellent with very little drop.
Fraser Fir
Similar to the Nordmann in appearance and texture, the Fraser Fir is a slimmer version and often more bushy than the Nordmann but with the same needle holding properties. They are the ideal choice if you want a ‘needle fast’ tree for a smaller space.
Tips for choosing the perfect tree
- Decide where your tree will go and gage the size of the space. Remember that the tree will be raised off the ground slightly when it is in a stand or container and this will affect the height.
- Pick the tree up and tap the trunk gently on the ground so that the branches fall out a little and you can look at the shape.
- If lots of needles drop from the tree at this stage, choose another one.
- Gently rub some of the needles on a sprig the wrong way. They should hold to show that the tree is fresh.
Caring for your tree once it is at home
- Cut the net open at the trunk end of the tree and cut about 3cm off the base of the trunk.
- Stand the tree in a bucket of water and keep it as cool as possible - a garden shed or cold garage is ideal - until you are ready to bring it into the house for decorating.
- Make sure that your tree always has a supply of water – it will drink a lot more than you think!
- Site the tree in as cool a place as possible in the house, away from radiators and fires.
- Make sure that you have a stand that will hold water and continue to give the tree water whilst it is in the house.
