CALGARY- As Calgarians scramble to buy Christmas trees to make their homes more festive for the holidays, some local tree experts are offering advice on what kind of tree to buy.
First of all, experts say to make sure the tree you purchase is fresh, something that depends on how far they’ve travelled or how long they’ve been sitting in a lot.
“If you pick a tree up and bang it on the ground, there should only be some brown needles from the inside coming off,” says Colin Atter from Plantation Garden Centre. “You shouldn’t see a whole bunch of green needles so that’s a good test… grab the tree, bang it on the ground and see what comes off.”
If you’ve already bought a tree, there are a few simple steps to help it last. Experts say you should cut a slice off the trunk to allow it to draw water. Once the tree is home, people are also advised to give it plenty of water.
“They’re thirsty,” says Atter. “They’ve been sitting here for almost three weeks. You get home and they just drink, drink, drink.”
Experts also recommend using a large tree stand to hold enough water and to add some plant or tree preservative.
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