Don’t pull a Clark Griswold this year!
It’s that time of year when we bring a tree inside to celebrate the holidays. If you haven’t picked out a Christmas tree yet, here are a few pointers to get you started. Lucky us, living in Oregon, we have lots of choices here, right? So don’t get stuck with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, unless that’s your thing…
Measure twice, buy once.
Does this sound familiar? You head out to get a tree and find the most beautiful grand tree that calls to you. Upon getting it home, you realize you can barely get it in the door, let alone put it in a room in your house. Before you start shopping, measure the height of your ceiling and be sure to subtract the height of your tree stand and the topper, if you have one. Also clear the space for where your tree will stand and see how much room you have. Write these measurements down and stuff it in your pocket for when you go tree shopping.
Test your options.
Whether you are buying from a tree lot, or hunting for a tree in the woods, there a few things you can do to get a healthy tree. Picking out a tree is a little like picking out fruit at the grocery store—you should smell and touch!
- Test the branches. Grab any branch on the tree between your thumb and forefinger. Gently clamp down and pull towards yourself. If you end up with a handful of needles, the tree might be past its prime.
- Crush the needles in your hand. Do they smell good? They should. If you can’t smell that fresh tree smell, then take a pass and keep looking.
- Look at the trunk. Unless you have a good corner in your house where you can prop up your tree, you want to make sure that it has a straight trunk. Also make absolutely sure that the trunk will fit in your tree stand!
Make your tree part of your family.
Freshen the trunk. Once you get home, you’ll want to make a fresh cut at the trunk (you can also have the tree lot do this for you.) The fresh cut will absorb more water, so the tree holds its needles longer and stays fresh and green.
Make a drink—for the tree.
Once the tree is upright in your stand, add clean water—a lot of it—as soon as possible. In the first few days, your tree will drink a lot, even up to a gallon of water. Never let the water drop below the cut trunk. And be smart about where you put your tree. As tempting as it may be to put it near the fireplace for a cozy look, your tree won’t be too happy there.
Make a drink—for you!
Now you can take a step back and plan to decorate your Christmas tree!
Need winter tree work? Give us a call at 541-480-4223 or email us. We can come take a look, give a free estimate and consult on your trees.
