By Michele E. Buttelman
Signal Staff Writer
Douglas Fir? Noble Fir? Fraser Fir? Scotch Pine? What is your perfect Christmas tree? Will only a fresh cut, real tree do? Do you choose a living tree and plant it outside after the holidays? Or do you prefer the artificial, pre-lit tree that offers little muss or fuss?
Christmas tree selection is as individual as the person, or family, making the selection. Many factors go into making a selection of the perfect Christmas tree — price, space, lifestyle and aesthetics.
When my daughter was little, we would visit a cut-your-own tree lot located in the Valencia Industrial Center. It was great fun deciding which tree was the correct size and shape for our Canyon Country living room. We learned, through experience, that size of the tree trunk was important, as was the vertical “straightness” of the tree.
Fresh trees
More than 25 million “real” Christmas trees are sold every year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
There are close to 350 million real Christmas trees currently growing in the U.S. In addition, there are more than 4,000 Christmas tree recycling programs in the U.S.
Tips
Measure your space. Trees look smaller when the sky is the ceiling. Make sure to think about width, as well as height.
Think about what type of decorations you will be using. If you have heavy or long ornaments make sure the branches can bear the weight of your ornaments and there is enough spacing between branches so your long, or oversize ornaments can hang freely.
Learn about the different species of trees. There are at least 16 different species of trees commonly sold as Christmas trees. To learn about tree varieties, visit realchristmastrees.org/dnn/Education/
Tree-Varieties.
Ask questions about the trees at the lot. Ask the retailer where the trees were grown, when were they delivered to the lot, what tree does best in the SCV and what trees last the longest.
Do a branch/needle test for freshness. Run a branch through your enclosed hand, the needles should not come off easily. Bend the outer branches, they should be pliable. If they are brittle and snap easily, the tree is too dry.
Where to buy your tree
There are many choices for Santa Clarita Valley families to purchase trees.
The holidays are a busy time for many families. However, the Christmas tree may be your most important holiday purchase. Take time to make Christmas tree selection a family affair. Christmas tree lots open the day after Thanksgiving in the SCV.
Green Thumb Nursery
23734 Newhall Ave., Santa Clarita
Info greenthumb.com
Green Thumb is a family-owned local lot that prides itself on being a “full-service operation.” The company has been helping Santa Clarita Valley families find a tree for nearly 50 years, and in addition to a wealth of experience, the lot offers Douglas, Noble and Nordman firs, which come fresh from the Pacific Northwest.
Green Thumb will offer help picking the tree, taking it down, “netting” the tree to make it easier to transport and then loading it on top of the family station wagon.
Bennett’s Best Christmas Trees
27000 Bouquet Canyon Rd., Saugus 91350
24910 Valencia Blvd., Valencia 91355
Doug Bennett of Bennett’s Best Christmas Trees has been in the business since the age of 15. Freshness is important to the Bennetts and they do their est to make sure their trees are as fresh as possible.
Also available are fresh wreaths and garlands, with wreath sizes ranging from 6 inches to 38 inches.
Frosty’s Forest Christmas Tree Farm
25235 Orchard Village Road, Valencia
Info greennurseryscv.com/cut-your-own-christmas-tree/ (661) 259-6450
Frosty’s Forest Christmas Tree Farm is one of the last cut-your-own Christmas tree farms in Southern California. Take your family and roam through a four-acre forest to find and cut your own perfect tree. Frosty’s also sells a variety of containerized living Christmas trees such as Blue Spruce, Monterey Pine, Cedar Deodar and Eldarica Pine. Pre-cut Noble and Nordmann firs are also available. Enjoy Christmas holiday music, free hot chocolate on cold nights, giant inflatables and Christmas decorations throughout the farm, and free candy cane treats.
How to Care for Your Tree
The National Christmas Tree Association offers these tips to keep your tree fresh and green throughout the holiday season.
When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water. The most important tip is to make sure you have a stand that contains a good supply of water. Reservoir stands are best.
Once home make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk and place the tree immediately in water.
Check your tree twice a day to make sure there is enough water in the tree stand. Keep trees away from sources of heat.
Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, reduce drying of the tree.
