Choosing and caring for your live Christmas tree

Nothing says Christmas like a live Christmas tree. Their wonderful fragrance can fill the whole house. We’re lucky in the Fraser Valley to be able to choose between many different types of trees with different colours, fragrances, and needle shape. Regardless of which type of tree you choose for your home this Christmas; here are a few tips to keep in mind before you set out to buy that all important tree.

Before you set out and decide on the perfect tree:

• Measure the height and width of the area where the tree will be displayed. Cultivated Christmas trees tend to have an 80 per cent taper. This means that a tree that is two metres tall will be approximately 1.6 metres wide (7′ tall will be 5′ 6″ wide) at the bottom
• ensure your tree stand is large enough to hold four liters (one gallon) of water as well as the trunk of the tree
• Some tree species have more open foliage, stiffer branches or longer needles. Keep this in mind as decide on your perfect tree.
• Some have a stronger Christmas tree smell than others; ask the expert where you buy your tree.

Tips for caring for a fresh Christmas tree in your home

• store the tree in a cool place, out of the wind and rain, until it is ready to be brought indoors

• when bringing the tree indoors, cut 1 to 2 cm (½ to ¾ of an inch) off the tree stump before placing it in water – the cut must be no more than four hours old; otherwise sap will seal the cut and prevent the water from rising, thus drying out the tree
• the first water fill should be with warm water enabling the sap to flow readily. As the tree warms, water will be drawn upwards replenishing the moisture to the extremities.
• Assign a family member to top up the water twice daily so the base of the tree never dries out. Your tree will drink several liters of water every day for the first week or two.

At BC Farm Fresh we have two member farms where you can go to choose, cut, and take home a fresh tree:

Pine Meadow Tree Farm: https://www.bcfarmfresh.com/farms/pine-meadows-tree-farms-ltd/

And

Murphy’s Christmas Tree Farm: https://www.bcfarmfresh.com/farms/murphys-christmas-tree-farm/