Dayton "Dirt" - December 6, 2009

With the first week of December almost over, the Christmas season seems like its in full swing.

Cut tree buyers are looking for that elusive perfect tree but I always remind myself that a tree that looks “perfect” to me does not to someone else as all of us have our own particular idea of perfection or beauty.

In my opinion, if a cut Christmas tree is too thickly branched, it would look good out in the yard but not as a Christmas tree as ornaments will tend to lay on the tree instead of hanging.

An old-fashioned Christmas would have included handmade ornaments for the tree as well as a garland made from cranberries or popcorn strung together with a needle.

I can remember asking my parents for a Huffy bicycle made in Cleveland that I saw in the Kresge store in the Norton shopping center.

I asked my mother to look at the bicycle and I can still remember her asking me how much it cost to which I replied $19.95.

My mother said “My, that’s so expensive!”

Finally after two and one half years I received the bike as a Christmas present and I still have it!

Fraser Firs are still the favorite cut Christmas tree as they rarely shed needles and are easy to decorate with their soft pliable needles.

Colorado Spruce on the other hand are very sharp needled and generally don’t hold their needles as well.

In some University controlled tests, researchers concluded that the best way to keep your tree fresh is to use plain water.

In fact, many of the different tree preservatives tested actually hastened the deterioration of the tree.

It is important that you make a fresh cut in the trunk of your tree just before you place it in the stand which helps the tree to intake water.

Be sure you do not shave the outer bark from the tree if it won’t fit your stand as the tree for sure will not take up water.

It is best to have the right size stand for the particular tree size but I always liked a stand larger than recommended as it is much easier to stand a tree straight than one that has a crooked trunk.

I have already told you about the Cinco brand of tree stand as it does work extremely well especially when you have a tree with a crooked trunk.

With a Cinco stand, there is no need to upgrade to the next size up as this stand’s design has plenty of room available for adjustment.

As with the past years’, our trees are all from the State of Ohio because I can be sure of the freshness and not worry about the harvesting being done too early as many times it is with big operations farther north.

Happy tree hunting,
Tom