Fake, Real, Or Living?
A living tree would seem like a clear winner, however this is an extremely tricky decision for the tree. The professionals suggest digging and covering the hole where the tree will be planted before the first deep freeze. Place the dirt in a warmer place such as a garage for planting. Transition your tree by keeping it in the garage or warmer shed for several days before bringing it into your home. Keep root-ball moist by watering with a quart of crushed ice that melts throughout the day. Keep the tree from heat vents, direct sunlight and wood-stoves/fireplaces. Don’t put too many lights on the tree and use cooler LED lights. Finally, re-transition the tree in the garage or shed before planting.
A locally grown real pine is a truly sustainable choice for the holidays. Cut a few inches off the bottom of the trunk before setting in the stand. Immediately fill the stand with water and keep watered daily. A cut pine can soak up a gallon of water a day! Keep the tree away from heat especially wood-stoves and fireplaces. Get your fresh cut tree no sooner than thirty days before Christmas to ensure your tree is still in good shape come Christmas morning. If a locally fresh cut tree isn’t available check to see when the tree was cut that you plan to buy. Many tree care companies offer free tree chipping after the holidays and many trash services send trees to compost (though check with your service provider before putting your tree out to the curb). Chipped pine makes for wonderful mulch. Christmas trees ARE NOT safe for burning. All wood from all types of trees need to be dry before burning which is why most people who burn with wood let cut wood season for a year before tossing into the fireplace. Even seasoned pine can burn HOT. It is necessary to know how much of what types of wood to burn before starting any kind of fire.
Artificial trees– You guessed it. Simply not sustainable at all. Most of these trees are made from a petroleum byproduct– polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Besides being made of non-renewable resources, artificial trees (especially those over ten years old) have been found to contain low levels of lead which can be harmful to young children.
Now that that great debate has been settled, how about a little Christmas Tree Trivia fun?
Though using pine in religious festivities goes back as far as the Early Romans, Celtic Druids and even the Vikings, 16th Century Germans were the first known to set a pine tree indoors for Christmas. [1]
Americans purchase between 25 & 30 million pine trees a year to be used as Christmas trees. [2]
Christmas trees are grown in all 50 States.[3]
The average growth period for a pine to reach 6 to 7 feet is 7 years. [4]
Around the turn of the 20th century, the Addis Brush company applied their craft of making toilet brushes to creating a modern version of the artificial Christmas tree. Previous artificial trees were made of goose feathers.
Happy Holidays!
[2] National Christmas Tree Association
[3] National Christmas Tree Association
[4] National Christmas Tree Association
Meaningful Living 