Get Real This
Christmas by Pippa Greenwood
Christmas is well and truly just around the corner and whilst your thoughts may be on gifts, meals, crackers and cards, don’t forget the tree. And I mean a REAL Christmas tree, complete with needles and, if you choose the really traditional route, that wonderful aroma.
For those concerned about the impact on the planet, British- grown trees are most definitely not an ecological disaster zone - think of them as a crop plant rather like a field of cabbages, except that typically Christmas trees will use less fertiliser and fewer chemicals than many classic crop plants.
To make sure you get what suits you best, there are a few things to think about before buying your tree.
The Norway spruce (Picea abies) is the traditional tree, with gorgeous, short dark green pointed needles and that unmistakable Christmassy aroma, but it is the most likely to drop its needles. However, if well treated it won’t perform badly and it is the lowest-priced of the real trees.
The Serbian Spruce (Picea omorica) is quite similar to the Norway spruce and is the favourite festive tree in central Europe, with a distinct blueish tint to the underside of the
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needles. Typically slender, it is a good choice for smaller sitting rooms and has decent needle retention - but no smell.
The Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana) is now the biggest-selling Christmas tree in the UK. Its shiny green broad needles are quite soft and almost impossible to shift, so it’s ideal for those who hate mess!
The Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) is less widely available, but its combination of good looks and needle-holding ability makes it worth considering. It has a narrower base than the Norway spruce so is also useful in smaller houses.
So, how do you choose the best tree of the type you’ve decided on and keep it looking good?
• Don’t buy a real tree too early. • Opt for a tree produced by a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association - look for the BCTGA logo.
• Choose a tree with a good, full shape, not lopsided and with minimal gaps. Check the needles - they should be glossy (for those varieties where this is a characteristic) and the correct colour. They must be free from pests and diseases - avoid anything
yellowed or inclined to shed, or with white fluffy bits. Never buy an already netted tree since you can’t see what you’re getting!
• If you buy one quite early then the most important thing is to keep it outside - recut the end of the trunk and put the tree in a bucket of water in a sheltered spot outside. Remove any net as it is important to get air circulating around the needles.
• When you bring a tree inside, avoid putting it anywhere too warm or close to a heat source, and make sure that you use a stand with a water reservoir that is kept topped up.
When Christmas is over, make sure you recycle your tree - many councils and garden centres now offer this service.
Visit Pippa’s website www.
pippagreenwood.com for great gardening gifts: a stylish ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ gift card (a perfect Christmas present, where the recipient receives their chosen garden ready vegetable plants in the spring and every week Pippa emails with topical hints, tips and advice), gardening tools, raised bed kits, GrowerFrames, signed books and more!
To advertise, please contact 01202 657317 or email
karen@broadstonelink.co.uk
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