How to choose the right Christmas tree

Christmas trees provide a festive backdrop for holiday memories in many homes. And, if your family decorates a real tree, the experience often comes with fiascoes that are as frustrating as they are funny. (Well, funny in hindsight, anyway ...)

There are two very important rules to follow to keep your tree alive through the holiday season: Check the water daily, and keep the tree away from heat sources such as  heater vents or fireplaces.

Also, before you head to the tree farm or tree lot this year, consider these tips to help you find the tree that’s right for you.

1. Consider the size of tree you can accommodate. The trees tend to look smaller when they are growing next to trees that are 10 feet or taller. Customers often take home trees that are too big for their space. Avoid this by measuring before you leave home and before you make your final choice.

“Oftentimes people bring measuring tapes, and we have some on hand if they forget,” said Robert Hamilton, owner of Airport Tree Farm in Millville. “The trees can look smaller than they really are out here.”

2.  Decide what variety you want. While finding the tree that is simply “the one” is a fun experience, you could be choosing one that has a different smell or branch strength than you were hoping for.

Common varieties sold at Christmas tree farms in South Jersey include the Douglas fir, the blue spruce, the Norway spruce, balsam fir and the white pine. There are other varieties,  such as the concolor fir, Fraser firs and the Engelmann spruce, but they are not as readily available.

The Douglas fir is a popular short-needle variety with branches strong enough to hold the average ornament. The green foliage tends to be tighter, leaving fewer gaps between the branches. It is quick-growing, and it’s at the top of the list for farmers and holiday decorators.

Hamilton said it has the strongest aroma, but his partner, Leslie Hurley of Millville, said the blue spruce has a preferable citrus smell.

The blue spruce is another favored variety. It has short needles that are much stiffer. The color is a silvery blue, and the strong branches can hold very heavy ornaments. There is also more space between the branches, allowing for more decorations and lights on the interior of the tree. However, the needles are sharp and will definitely irritate your hands; be sure to wear gloves. The tree’s unique color and fragrant citrus branches help compensate for its painful needles.

Norway spruce trees are similar in structure to the blue spruce, but they are green in color. Joe Cox, owner of Scattered Acres Nursery in Maurice River, said the Norway has softer needles and is a sturdy tree that will hold basically any ornament.

White Pine is a soft, long-needled Christmas tree that remains a family favorite. “It’s the old popcorn, cranberry and paper ornament tree,” said Robert Culbertson, owner of Culbertson’s Nursery in Atco.

White pines grow easily and have branches strong enough to hold the average-weight ornament. They fill the room with the pine smell that many South Jersey residents have become accustomed to, said Cox.

3. Consider the cost and how long the tree will live.

Hamilton of Airport Tree Farm said his Douglas fir and blue spruce trees will last at least four weeks when fresh-cut and watered properly. Blue spruce trees only grow a few inches per year, compared with about a foot of growth on a Douglas fir. As a result, spruce trees usually cost more.

White pine trees grow well in the area and quickly enough to bring down their price tag when compared with the spruce trees.

Culbertson gave this needle retention guideline for the varieties he offers at his nursery: Norway spruce holds its needles for about two to three weeks; blue spruce for about three to five weeks; and firs generally last about four to five weeks.

4.  Make a fresh cut on the bottom of your Christmas tree. You'll want to make the cut before putting it in your stand. Once the bottom dries up, the tree will not absorb any water, and the trees need to drink a lot to stay alive. If you cut your own tree at a farm, you already have a fresh cut, but it wouldn’t hurt to make another cut once you get home. Definitely make a fresh cut if you purchase a pre-cut tree, advised Hamilton.

5. Consider your location. If you want to get the most life out of your tree, you need to keep it away from heater vents or fireplaces because the tree will dry out quickly, said Culbertson.

6. Always check the water in your tree. Just because you watered it yesterday doesn’t mean it isn’t thirsty today. “They drink a lot of water,” said Cox.

The trees also will drink more water when you first bring them home from the field, advised Hamilton.

7. Place the tree in a stand so it is secure and straight. Airport Christmas Tree Farm sells a stand-straight stand. They drill a hole in the bottom of your tree, and your tree sits on a spike that comes out of the stand.

Take the time to choose the tree that meets your desires for color, branch strength, aroma and fullness and begin making holiday memories around the Christmas tree.

Cox offers live, rooted trees at his farm. He said not to keep these trees inside for much more than 2½ weeks if you plan to plant it. Customers often use pickle barrels or old washtubs to place the tree in so that they can give it a thorough watering every three to four days, said Cox.

Keep the root ball damp. “You don’t want to keep it submerged, but water it regularly with a couple gallons every few days,” said Cox.

Keeping the tree inside too long could bring it out of dormancy, but moving the tree from your house to 20- to 30- degree temperatures outside could shock your tree. Instead, leave it under a carport or in a garage for a few days to give it time to adjust. Then, dig your hole and plant your memory.

Some people keep the trees on their porch until spring. “As long as you keep it watered, they will usually make it,” said Cox. It’s also good to transfer the plant outside on a warmer day if possible; this will help it adapt.

If you go

Airport Christmas Tree Farm, 2340 Cedar St., Millville, has 20,000 blue spruce and Douglas fir Christmas trees on a 40-acre cut-your-own farm. Call (856) 825-5212 or visit the farm on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AirportTreePlantation/.

Scattered Acres Nursery offers Norway spruce, Douglas fir, balsam fir, white pine, Colorado blue spruce,  Engelmann spruce, Canadian hemlock and concolor fir growing in three fields in Maurice River. The main lot is located on Delsea Drive in Delmont, just south of the New Jersey state prisons. The other two lots are along Main Street in Heislerville. The fields are marked with Christmas tree signs. Trees are sold cut or rooted. Attendants are on hand 9 a.m.-dusk Saturday and Sunday. Call (856) 785-0967 or (856) 297-2117 or visit www.scatteredacresnursery.com.

Culbertson’s Nursery, 672 Burnt Mill Road, Atco, offers choose-and-cut or live plantable Douglas fir, balsam fir, Fraser fir, Norway spruce, white pine and blue spruce trees. Call (856) 767-3221 or (856) 341-6331.