Finding and caring for the perfect Christmas tree

The fresh evergreen tree is an iconic holiday tradition that brings sweet smells and appeal indoors. Germany is usually credited with starting the live Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century, with immigrants then bringing this tradition to America. Until artificial feather trees were introduced in the early 19th century, and then the 20th century plastic and aluminum varieties, finding the perfect live Christmas tree for most families was as easy as a trip outdoors. Today, fresh evergreens are still easy to find. Locally, live trees will be in abundance in many forms this season. Garden centers and sales lots will be stocking up soon. However, there may still be some regional shortages due to the drought, pest damage and wildfires. In a recent trip with Dave Reese to his family's Christmas tree fields at Kaleidoscope Farms in southwest Hancock County, Dave said this year's crop for cutting in our area is excellent. Selecting and caring for the right tree extends your holiday enjoyment and ensures beauty and safety in your home. As past president of the Ohio Christmas Tree Growers Association and with several trees as Ohio State Fair Champions, Dave highlighted the basics of growing and finding the perfect Christmas tree. While beauty is in the eye of the buyer, nature provides many conifer options for the best trees. Scotch and white pine along with Black Hill, Norway and blue spruce are popular selections, with fir being the longer lasting trees once cut. Frazer, Douglas, Canaan, and concolor fir have softer needles and stronger branches for holding more lights and ornaments. Color ranges from blue to mint to dark greens are all long lasting, but life spans indoors can still vary from 2-6 weeks depending on species and size. Daily tree care brings us close to the sights and smells of the season. Watering as soon as possible to preserve a longer lasting tree is essential when cutting or buying pre-cut trees. Regional drought conditions this year have also caused dryer trees leading to shorter indoor life. Science shows water additives and sprays do not necessarily extend the tree life as much as just keeping water filled around tree trunks. Even for indoor container or balled and burlap evergreen trees, water helps keep them all longer and safer from fire hazards. Trees from a sales lot cut and shipped in from far away (out of state) require close inspection to avoid bringing hazards into the home like pests or early needle drop. Check inside branches for yellowing or browning to avoid a mess, and then select healthier trees. Your live tree is like a work of art by nature and the grower. Average growing time for a Christmas tree is seven years with annual fertilizing, trimming and shaping. Each species has distinct soil and water needs, making some, like pines, grow more quickly, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (6-7 feet) or as little as four years. Locally grown trees have less shipping costs, especially if you cut and carry them home directly from the farm. The future grows promising as several thousand new seedlings have been planted this year alone in Hancock County. And, a new Christmas tree farm is being planted near Jenera. Christmas trees can be recycled, or re-gifted back to nature. Your Christmas tree can be used as songbird cover and wildlife habitat, chipped for trails in parks or mulch for landscapes. Some bundles of old Christmas trees are at the bottom of area reservoirs, keeping their structures intact over time for fish habitats. Composting decaying evergreens even adds nutrients to gardens. Evergreen trees are a sustainable resource as part of our American agriculture, eco-friendly, grown on farms where stock is replenished each year as others are cut; forests are not depleted. Even with overseas supply chain issues and increased shipping costs, artificial trees are still popular and do have a longer lasting, useful purpose. However, they are made with synthetic materials that will end up in landfills. "Oh Tannenbaum," as the song goes, "How lovely are your branches … so bravely green in the winter time." Consider the Christmas tree as a value to family traditions, buying local, respecting nature and adding those sights and smells of the season around your home. Visit the following sites for added help on Christmas trees: •OSU Extension Today: Christmas Trees (video): https://extension.osu.edu/today/christmas-trees •Ohio Christmas Tree Growers Association: https://ohiochristmastree.org •Christmas Tree Safety: https://www.nfpa.org Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year of gardening from the Hancock County Master Gardeners of the Ohio State University Extension Service! Brugeman is an Ohio State University Hancock County Master Gardener volunteer, retired Hancock Park District director and a landscape architect graduate of The Ohio State University.