It’s no secret, the only way to ensure you get the freshest and healthiest tree is to go to a Christmas Tree Farm and get your tree. A Christmas tree farm grows and sells trees specifically to retain needles and last through the Christmas season.
Avoid Big Box Stores where Most Christmas trees are cut about 3 to 4 weeks before they arrive on the lot—usually the weekend after Thanksgiving, according to National Christmas Tree Association.
Some Christmas Tree Farms will also bring in “Pre Cut” tree’s to supplement their inventory or to bring in some species they know customers want but cant grow on their farm. This is a far better Choice than buying form a Big box store. These Farm “Pre Cut” trees are usually less than 1 week old and in most cases on black Friday shipping only 3-5 days old. These Farms will either go cut these tree’s from there other properties or buy these from larger farms who wholesale tree’s. They will bring them to their farm and Place in Water Tubs so they maintain freshness. (Have you ever see a Tree in water at a Box Box Store?)
Once you are at the Farm Picking the right tree is like buying fruit, you need to see it, touch it, and smell it.
- Test the branches. Clamp down your hand on a limb and gently comb your hands on it pulls toward yourself. If you end up with a handful of needles that tree is past it prime, It will be dead in less than a week loosing most of it needles in 7-10 days. (Avoid tree’s like these)
- Crush the needles in a hand. The smell should be bold and fresh. If there is very little smell this tree is not very fresh. It as well has less than 2 week before surface needles start to fall out.)
- Bounce the tree on the ground. If the exterior (Green) needles fall off, it’s sure sign of a bad apple. Needles that fall off from the interior of the tree (Brown) are normal. All Conifer tree’s have brown interior needles near the trunk that will fall out
- Diameter of Trunk Make a sure the tree’s trunk will fit in your tree stand. Cutting or trimming the trunk by cutting away the outer bark will strip the tree of its cambium layer, which is what absorbs water. If this happens your tree will die at a much faster rate, typically 7 days. it will even stop taking water.