Care for Christmas Trees

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Serving local gardeners since 1973 www.dinternursery.ca 250 748-2023

5km South of Duncan on Hwy 1

Care for Christmas Trees

To brighten up the darkest time of the year many of us will bring a tree into the home and decorate it with lights to create a festive atmosphere of joy and reflection.

Living trees have the advantage of going into the landscape and being remembered for Christmas past. Live trees are coming from the depth of winter into warm, spring-like conditions. Their stay should be limited to about 10 days. A realistic time would be from Deember 15 to Boxing Day. Living trees need daily watering and a saucer to protect the floor or table. Your local nursery will have many species of spruce and fir with forms suitable for Christmas.

Fresh cut trees are grown specifically for the holiday season and can be chipped and returned to the soil as mulch. Naturally shaped trees have branches spaced with room to hang ornaments. Most cultivated trees are sheared into a tight, dense forms that the decoration have to be draped over. Douglas Fir is the most popular species locally, but Nordmann, Fraser and Noble Fir make excellent trees with their colour, texture and fragrance.

Tree size should be selected to fit the scale of the room considering its height and diameter, so the tree does not overwhelm the room. When lighting up have about 50 LED lights per foot to not to be overwhelmed by the decorations. Follow a theme by placing the larger element at the top and moving down, filling in with smaller elements. Have the glass and shimmering ornaments close to the lights. Step back periodically to look at the tree as a whole.

With a beautifully decorated tree, family can enjoy the festive season, reflecting on the past year and anticipating the coming year. This brings comfort during the darkest and coldest time of the year.

Bernie Dinter, owner Dinter Nursery. Family owned and operated since 1973 offering 3 generations of horticultural knowledge.