Learn How To Pick The Best Christmas Tree!

By Nicole Germany

After the pumpkin patches disappear and the Thanksgiving china is put away, shiny garland and bright-bulbed strings of light begin to show their faces once more. They cling to evergreen pine branches and transform blank canvases into art. These works of art sparkle through windows and make the holidays complete, but what makes just the right Christmas tree twinkle for you?

When deciding on just the right tree, itโ€™s important to know the signs of aย healthy tree. Picking a ripe tree has a lot to do with smell and touch.ย Make sure it not only smells fresh, but looks fresh, too.

What to Look For

โ€ข When choosing a tree, grab a handful of needles โ€” do they smell likeย Christmas? If so, itโ€™s a keeper! If thereโ€™s no scent, move on to the next one.
โ€ข Test branches by holding them in your hand and pulling them slightlyย forward. If needles fall all around you, the treeโ€™s life is almost up.
โ€ข Another way to test the freshness of a tree is by taking a needleย and snapping it in half. If it snaps, itโ€™s fresh. If it bends, it was cutย sometime ago.

Depending on what youโ€™re looking for, you can pick the right tree afterย reaching three conclusions:

โถ Height โ€” From floor to ceiling, whatโ€™s the height ofย the room the tree will be displayed in? Are you adding aย topper?
โท Type โ€” Fresh cut or fake? Fraser fir or balsam fir?
โธ Shape โ€” Short or tall? Skinny or bushy?

Top 3 Tips for Keeping Trees Fresh

โ€ข Get the base of the tree cut by about an inch soย the tree is able to easily take in water.
โ€ข Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Just like us, trees needย water to stay at their very best. Letting the waterย level fall below the base could prevent furtherย water intake.
โ€ข Donโ€™t add anything to the water; straight H20 isย all that the tree needs.

Safety Tips for Trees

โ€ข Check strands of lights for any frayed orย bare wires, and always make sure to unplugย any lights before leaving the house or goingย to sleep.
โ€ข Place tree away from fireplaces, heaters,ย radiators and entertainment centers.
โ€ข Never use electric lights on a metal tree.
โ€ข Be cautious of children and animals gettingย too close to the tree. Always make sureย little ones are supervised when playingย around the Christmas tree.
โ€ข Don’t try to burn trees in fireplaces or woodย stoves. Burning them could cause flamesย and sparks due to the sap from the tree.

What happens to fresh treesย after the holidays?

Christmas trees are considered yard trash and will be picked up fromย the curb after the holidays. Limbs can be no longer than 5 feet, soย you may have to cut your tree. If curbside pickup is not an option forย you, then you can take your tree any of the Alachua County Ruralย Collection Centers. Visit Alachuacounty.us to find a location near you.

Screen shot 2016-12-12 at 2.06.04 PM