|
The holiday season is upon us once again and one of the things that many Michigan residents do in the celebration spirit is go out and cut their own tree. If you are wondering where you could go to do just that, the Michigan Christmas Tree Association has put together a searchable index to help you out. Whether you cut your own or pick one up off a tree lot, there are a few things to watch for.
Many of these images were taken at Austin's
Tree Farm in Okemos, Michigan.
Selecting Your Tree:
|
|
Look for a well-shaped tree with few bare spots. Some trees are cone-shaped, others are thin, and still others are wide. |
|
|
|
Do a freshness test to test the needles for retention and flexibility. Your tree should be fragrant and should hold its needles. All trees shed some interior brown needles on a regular basis, but the loss of green needles should be minimal in a healthy, fresh tree. To test for needle retention, gently pull the branches through your fingers. If your tree is pre-cut, shake or bounce the tree on its stump. You should not see an excessive amount of green needles fall to the ground. |
|
|
|
Keep your perfect tree perfect by storing it in a sheltered, cool area,
such as this shed, to protect it from the wind and sun until you are ready to decorate it. |
Caring For Your Tree:
Once you have selected a tree and brought it home, there are several things to do to care for it.
|
|
Before setting your tree up, make a fresh, straight cut across the base of the trunk, about a quarter of an inch from the original cut, then immediately place the tree in a stand filled with at least a gallon of fresh water. A freshly-cut Christmas tree will absorb up to one gallon of water during the first day, and about one quart daily after that. |
|
|
|
Keep your tree watered. If the water level in the tree stand drops below the end of the tree stump, a layer of sap can form over the cut stump in just a few hours, making it impossible for the tree to absorb water. Water keeps your tree moist and fragrant. Dry Christmas trees can become very brittle, lose their needles and aroma, and will lose their natural ability to resist fire. Christmas trees can lose up to 50 % of their moisture content and still recover and remain fire resistant if properly displayed in a water-filled container. |
|
|
|
Keep trees away from heat and draft sources, like fireplaces, television sets, radiators and building exits, and always turn decorative lights off when leaving the house. Working smoke detectors are also important to holiday safety. |
|
|
|
Always use consumer-inspected Christmas tree lights (UL-listed or Factory Mutual-approved). |
|
|
|
Test your light cords and connections before hanging them on the tree to make sure they're in good working order. Do not use cords with cracked insulation or broken or empty sockets, and take care not overload electrical circuits. Faulty electrical equipment and the misuse of candles and matches have lead to house fires in Christmases past. |
|
|
|
Unplug the lights before you go to bed or leave the house. |
|
Printer Friendly
Text Version
Twitter
Facebook
Yahoo
Google
Digg
reddit
Newsvine
StumbleUpon
Bookmark
Email Page