In the Garden
Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener
As I was driving down the highway last week, I came up behind a truck loaded with wrapped evergreen trees. I found myself wondering where these trees had been grown and how long it had been since they had been cut. I am sure they were heading to some store in the area, where they would be sold as Christmas trees. In this day of warning labels ad nauseam, I wondered if they had a label to explain the dangers of buying such a tree to display in a home.
While many people refer to such trees as “live” trees (as opposed to artificial trees) they are definitely NOT alive. They died when they were cut from their root systems. At that time, they began to dry and lose vigor. They became fire hazards and sources for needles to litter the floors of many houses. If they are expected to remain in the home until at least Christmas Day, they will have been cut for over a month!
Picking a Christmas tree should be about much more than finding the perfect size, shape and fullness. The freshness of the tree is of utmost importance. Of course, the best way to ensure your tree is fresh is to cut it yourself, or at least choose one at an area tree farm. This brings back fond memories of walks around my family’s property to pick the best tree to become our Christmas tree. For us, that meant our Christmas tree was always an Eastern red cedar, as that was the only conifer that grew wild on the property. I remember, also, the hurt I felt when a college acquaintance visited me at my family home and laughed that we used a native juniper (Yes, red cedars are really junipers.) as a Christmas tree. The tree was never actually in the house. Our small home had only four rooms (with the restroom located about a hundred yards west of the house), so there was never room for a Christmas tree indoors. Instead, the tree sat on the front porch and was visible in the living room through a window. Even with the tree outside, we were careful to only turn the lights on when we were home and to shut them off when we went to bed. The lights used in those days could become hot and the now-dead tree would be tinder for a fire.
Today’s LED lights are much safer, but one should still take precautions to prevent fires. If you must buy a tree at a store, pull at the needles to check for freshness. If the needles come off easily, the tree is too dry and will continue to dry when you take it home. Once you get the tree home, cut off about an inch of the trunk. This will expose some fresh wood that will take up water more readily. The newly-cut stem should be put into water immediately, and the tree should be secured in a stand that has a generous water reservoir. Check that reservoir frequently and keep it filled with fresh water. There is no need to purchase any of the products that claim to keep a tree fresh. Purdue University studies show that these products actually do very little to make the tree remain fresh. They also discourage using any of the homemade alternatives, such as sugar, aspirin or lemon-lime soda.
There are also other alternatives to using a cut tree. Potted and balled-and-burlapped trees are actually living trees that may be planted in your yard after the holidays. There are still some draw-backs. These trees will break dormancy and the warmer temperatures in your home may cause them to begin to put on new growth. That growth will not have time to adapt to the winter conditions when taken back outside, causing damage to the tree. The live trees will still need to be watered while inside, and will continue to need irrigation when planted outside, as long as the ground is not frozen.
The Christmas tree is a big part of most Christmas celebrations, but I urge you to consider your safety. It is, of course, acceptable to use an artificial tree, but do not expect me to like a tacky silver tree with a color wheel.