SASKATOON – It’s time to get out that tinsel if you haven’t already and who doesn’t like the fun-filled ritual of picking out the perfect Christmas tree? There are ways to make that tradition a lot easier since most people take up to an hour to find the best fresh-cut tree.
“I ask for help,” laughs Wally Kohle, who has hand selected a real tree for the last 35 years and has a mental check list in finding that 10 out of 10 tree.
“Looking for a full tree, straight trunk and a nice looking top on it for the angel or the star.”
On Friday, everyone roaming the greenhouse at Dutch Growers said there’s nothing quite like the look and smell of the real deal.
“We’ve always had a real tree, we just love the smell and it just feels homey, feels like Christmas,” said Morgan Bowie.
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John Barton, who has had a real Christmas tree since he was young, said it’s all about the experience as well.
“The appearance of real trees, the sense of picking out, the excitement about picking it, decorating and obviously the nice aroma that comes off the tree,” he said.
From small to tall, skinny and wide, at Dutch Growers they have a tree of very single kind and it’s no wonder they sell 1,200 trees every Christmas.
“For picking out a Christmas tree especially when it’s this early you want to typically get a fir tree because a fir tree typically lasts the longest,” said Rick Van Duyvendyk who owns Dutch Growers Garden Centre and Greenhouse.
“A douglas fir and a Scots pine those ones typically don’t last quite as long so maybe the fourth is a little bit too early, around the tenth is about when I put a Scots pine up or a douglas fir.”
Van Duyvendyk recommends the touch test before taking home a tree.
“If you roll your fingers on them and all the needles come off then it’s not a good tree.”
Once you’ve picked one out, expect to pay any where from $50 to $100 and don’t forget this final step before setting it up and decorating.
“Fresh cut on the bottom, two inches fresh cut just before you put it in the stand and keeping the water in the stand full, for the first three days.”
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Water it regularly after that and use a tree preservative like StaFresh to increase the life of the tree.
Van Duyvendyk also warns against placing the tree near a heat register or ceiling fan since that will dry it out.
“Make sure that you have the proper tree stand, you want a tree stand that holds lots of water and has a good pin or has a plate that attaches to the bottom of the trunk so the bottom of the trunk doesn’t move,” added Van Duyvendyk.
“If the bottom of the trunk doesn’t move the tree will stay up straight.”
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