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Ok - so I have been an artificial tree girl for 12 yrs now and I do not know the 1st thing about real trees. I just know what a pain it was for my parents to out it up, buying it too big and my dad always having to go back out and cut it shorter and shorter.
1 -I have 8 foot ceilings and my tree topper is about 8 inches tall, I do not have a tree stand so I do not even know how tall those are. What size of tree would I need to avoid having to make multiple cuts? I do not have a saw.
2 - When is a good time to buy one? I do not want it to die before christmas...
3 - Due to fear of a dead tree at christmas, how much should I water it?
4 - What is a good tree to buy? I have quite a few very heavy ornaments.
Ok - so I have been an artificial tree girl for 12 yrs now and I do not know the 1st thing about real trees. I just know what a pain it was for my parents to out it up, buying it too big and my dad always having to go back out and cut it shorter and shorter.
1 -I have 8 foot ceilings and my tree topper is about 8 inches tall, I do not have a tree stand so I do not even know how tall those are. What size of tree would I need to avoid having to make multiple cuts? I do not have a saw. It is best to keep the tree at no more than 6 feet. Stands come about 4-5 inches off the ground. Your topper should not take up all the 8 inches of the top of the tree since there is an opening which will sit on the topmost branch.
2 - When is a good time to buy one? I do not want it to die before christmas... We usually get it two weeks before Christmas.
3 - Due to fear of a dead tree at christmas, how much should I water it? Don't let the water dry out of the stand. There are additives you can add to the water as well as some sprays to spray on the needles to preserve the life of the tree longer.
4 - What is a good tree to buy? I have quite a few very heavy ornaments.
I don't know what they sell in your area...most of them will hold heavy ornaments. You just need to find the thicker branches for those.
Ok - so I have been an artificial tree girl for 12 yrs now and I do not know the 1st thing about real trees. I just know what a pain it was for my parents to out it up, buying it too big and my dad always having to go back out and cut it shorter and shorter.
1 -I have 8 foot ceilings and my tree topper is about 8 inches tall, I do not have a tree stand so I do not even know how tall those are. What size of tree would I need to avoid having to make multiple cuts? I do not have a saw.
2 - When is a good time to buy one? I do not want it to die before christmas...
3 - Due to fear of a dead tree at christmas, how much should I water it?
4 - What is a good tree to buy? I have quite a few very heavy ornaments.
Are you sure you want a real tree. They are not as pretty and cause a mess. We have always done artificial trees and they work very well.
I would go with a 6 1/2 footer or a 7 footer. Get a cheap saw. You need to cut off at least a couple of inches off the bottom of the tree so it draws water out of your holder. When they are cut and shipped the bottoms will form a thin layer of sap over them and then dry out. That makes the tree not be able to absorb the water very good from the holder. Plus you will most likely have to trim off the bottom couple of branches so the tree goes all the way into the holder.
I live in Christmas tree farm country and have to tell you they have been cutting for a month to ship down South. I never buy my tree until the first week in December personally. When you are looking for a tree, grab a few needles and pull them to see if they fall right out. Generally the tighter they hang on to their needles, the fresher they are. EVERY live tree will shed what looks to be about a billion needles when you drag it in the house and set it up. Doesn't mean it is already dry and ready to go off like a matchstick. There will be a LOT of needles that have fallen off other trees during shipping that get stuck in the ones toward the bottom of the stack.
Water it at least twice a day the first few days. Check the water no less than once a day after that. Usually you will need to put water in every day.
I like stiff branched trees so my personal favorite is the Blue Spruce. They hold up well and can take heavy ornaments usually.
The Scotch Pine will hold up for around 4 or 5 weeks usually and they also have strong branches. They are better if you have large ornaments because the branches are a little further apart.
Another good one is the Fraser Fir. It's branches curve up and can generally hold a medium heavy ornament. They are not as strong of branches as the Scotch Pine or the Blue Spruce. but they smell great and will hold a decent sized ornament.
Any of the Fir variants (Fraser, Douglas, Balsam, etc...) will have the "smell" of Christmas but do not have the strongest branches. The Pines (Scotch, White, etc...) will hold needles better than any others. The Spruces (Blue, Norway white, etc...) generally have stiffer branches but drop needles faster than the others, with the exception being the Blue Spruce, they hold needles almost as long as the pines do.
The last couple of years I have gone with a Concolor Fir and have been generally pleased. The branches are a bit soft for some of the heavy ornaments we have though. This year we are going to go with a Fraser Fir for the nice combination of aroma, and a little stiffer branches, while keeping a slightly softer needle itself.
Are you sure you want a real tree. They are not as pretty and cause a mess. We have always done artificial trees and they work very well.
This year, yes. We have sold all of our artificial trees (3) 9.5 foot prelit - way too big!! 7.5 - not prelit and the branches were really funny looking, and a 6 foot, it was my 1st tree after moving out of my parents and it was a little on the scrawny side and they all make my skin itch.
I haven't had a real tree since I was a kid, I need the smell of a real tree in my place. And I have a two yr old...needles are not a problem anything but legos and trains on the floor is OK with me!
The Scotch Pine sounds like something that I am looking for. Thanks for the help!!
Now, I need to get a tree stand
Best one I have ever seen. Plus the guys that came up with this design are nice people. These are made just over the border in Canada from where I lived for many years. I have the top one on the list. I think the model number is TS9405. Comes with a funnel and hose system you can mount up where it is easy to get to and there is a valve down in the base to keep you from over-filling it and having water run out on the floor. Easy to use, solid, and will last MANY years to come. Christmas Tree Stand
If you want your ornament to "hang" from the branches, don't buy a scotch pine or any long-needled pine tree! There's not alot of space between the branches, so things tend to just lie on the surface of the tree.
If you like to have your ornaments hang freely from the branches, make sure there is alot of space between the branches of the tree!
Walk around the lot or tree farm where you are going to buy the tree. Find a tree that you like, and then scrunch some of the needles to see if they bounce back. That can tell you how fresh the tree is. Smell the tree. I have found in the past few years that I can hardly smell them. That's why I also have Yankee Candles with a pine scent. I also look for a nice deep green color and a tree that is moderately full. Have someone hold the ones that you like and see how the tree looks from several feet away. Will your tree be seen from more than the front? If so, you need to look at the tree from every angle before purchasing. When you have found the one that you want, have them cut the bottom off for you.
With your ceilings, I would look for a 5-6 foot tree so that you would have room for the tree stand and topper. I put an aspirin in tepid water and make sure that the tree stand is full. You will need to water at least once a day, maybe more.
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anything but legos and trains on the floor is OK with me!
