The fragrance and beauty of real Christmas trees means that there will always be a market for them. If you are concerned about cutting a living tree, don’t feel guilty. Most of the evergreens cut in Minnesota were produced on tree farms. They are a very important crop here, with about half a million trees harvested annually. Our trees are shipped to every state including Hawaii (where the price is ridiculous).
Not only does the industry benefit the economy, it aids in the environment. Each acre of living Christmas trees puts enough oxygen into the air to supply the needs of 18 people. Their roots help stabilize the soil preventing erosion and they offer shelter and food to birds and other wild- life. There are at least a million acres devoted to growing them as a renewable crop. Across the U.S., Christmas trees are usually grown on land that is unsuitable for food crops.
Depending on the variety, it can take as few as eight years or as many as 15 years to grow a Christmas tree to market size. Every year as trees are harvested, more are planted to replace them.
After the holidays, an increasing large percentage of the trees are collected and fed into chippers to make mulch for our gardens. Some are dropped into our lakes to make places for fish to hide. You can cut the branches off and use them on your flower gardens for additional winter cover.
The best way to get an absolutely fresh tree is to go to one of Minnesota's U-Pick Christmas tree farms and cut your own. Be aware that they look much smaller in the field than in the house.
After you cut the tree, bounce it on its stem a few times to get rid of loose needles. Also, it is a good idea to check the interior for critters like sleeping chipmunks or squirrels before you put it in the car. As soon as you get the tree home, stick it into a bucket of warm water. It will take up quite a bit of water the first few days. It will slow down after a while but do check it at least twice a day.
Trees, wreaths, swags and any holiday decorations made from real conifers may contain spider mite eggs. They are invisible to the naked eye, however, they can hatch in the warm house so keep any of these items as far away as possible from your house plants.
If you have a poinsettia, you will want it to look good all season. First of all, chuck that pretty pot cover. It is waterproof. Too many plants have had their roots rotted from water standing in that cover. Put it in a bright window. You can move it to decorate a corner when you have company but put it right back afterwards. Keep it out of drafts. Water it only when it feels dry when you stick your finger, knuckle deep in the soil. Poinsettias never seem to die if cared for. The red leaves will fall off leaving a pretty ugly, long legged green plant. You can put it in the flower garden next spring but it will still not rebloom.
A pot of spring bulbs is a different thing altogether. Let them die naturally. Keep the soil watered until spring then let it dry out. Come fall, plant any bulbs that are still firm. Many of them will happily bloom and keep blooming for years, especially the tiny daffodils.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone
