Don 't let real Christmas trees give you the needle (From Campaign Series)

Don 't let real Christmas trees give you the needle

2:34pm Thursday 30th November 2006

• Print
• Email
• Share

Ah, 'tis the season to be jolly' almost.

Call me sad, but I love Christmas and all the decorating of trees, twinkling lights, mistletoe (ok ladies, form an orderly queue please!), Christmas carols and children 's faces.

Do you remember the excitement of putting your family 's tree up when you were a child?

Not that silver tinsel one from Woollies - I mean the real one.

We would all stand and watch, in a silent yet somehow critical semi circle as Dad, bless him, tried to get the tree to stand up straight in that gorgeous plastic bucket.

Within a few days, we would all rush down stairs in the morning to look under the tree to see how many needles had fallen and formed a carpet on the carpet.

The nice thing was, several months after Christmas, we would still get a little reminder of the festive season, as we walked over the carpet, in the shape of a little sharp pine needle in the foot ah the magic of Christmas.

But things have changed. Most Christmas tree growers now grow varieties of fir that will hold onto their needles much longer, and are more attractive in colour and texture compared to the old fashioned Norway fir.

Here are a few tips that I have found help in the quest for that perfect Christmas tree.

* Look for the Nordman fir - not the Norway - for a softer glossy needle that will stay on the tree for much longer.

* Keep the tree as cool as possible. Buy it as soon as you like, but maybe stand it up outside for a few days to allow the braches to settle, and to keep it fresh. When you do bring it inside, keep it as cool as possible, ideally away from any direct heat source.

* Use a tree-stand that will hold water. These are normally available from your tree supplier. Keep the water level topped up for as long as the tree is indoors. But please be careful when you top up the water - especially if you have electrical plugs nearby - and keep the tree away from any plug sockets.

* Place a 'tree skirt' around the base of the tree to catch any needles that may fall.

* You can also get a product like 'spray n save', which will help prevent any needle drop.

How about a tree with roots?

A 'living tree' with roots is a nice thought, but keeping it living may be a challenge.

If you bring it inside your house, you will severely reduce the chance of it surviving, so my advice would be to consider growing your tree with roots outside in your garden.

Some varieties of Christmas fir can make lovely garden trees, becoming a splendid evergreen feature that you can dress in outdoor fairy lights at this time of year.

But they do need some space; a Nordman would make up to ten foot in ten years.

Beloved and I have opted for the slower growing Picea Koreana, which may be a bit small for fairy lights yet, but in a few years time will start to look the part.

We chose Koreana because of its soft silvery green leaves and vivid beautiful purple cones, which appear in spring and get darker through the summer.

Some of these living trees can be grown in a large tub (like a half barrel) on a patio, for a few years, until they outgrow the tub and need to be planted out into the ground.

This Sunday, December 3, why not bring the family along to Llancaiach Fawr. As part of National tree week they have organised a celebration of traditional tree dressing. Take along a jam jar to make a lantern, and having watched some traditional 'mummers' plays in the courtyard - you can follow a minstrel in a candlelit spiral dance thro the gardens.

It sounds like great family fun, and I should be there in the afternoon (don 't let that put you off though!) giving some help to any visitors with growing trees and attracting wildbirds to your garden.

For more information contact the lovely people at Llancaiach on 01443 412248.

• Print
• Email
• Share