With the Holiday season approaching, I thought it was appropriate to include some pointers on selecting a real Christmas tree. If you plan to use a live cut tree, buy a fresh tree. The best way to ensure freshness is to buy from a local grower. To locate area Christmas trees growers, refer to the Nebraska Christmas Tree Growers Association at nebraskachristmastreegrowers.com. There are Christmas tree farms in 16 counties so it shouldn’t be difficult to find a tree farm.
When buying an already cut tree, check the tree closely for freshness. Do not buy a tree with brittle or shedding needles. Tap the base of the trunk on the ground and comb your fingers through branches to look for shedding needles. Bend a few needles in half to check for brittleness. After bringing the tree home, make a clean cut across the base of the trunk to better allow the tree to take up water. Keep the tree in a sturdy stand that holds at least one gallon of water. Check the stand daily as a fresh tree can take up one or more gallons of water each day. Selecting Nebraska grown trees and checking for freshness will help increase safety during the holidays.
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