Selecting and Cutting Real Christmas Trees

Remember, the Christmas trees purchased from local Christmas tree farms are as fresh as a Christmas tree can ever be.

Evaluate your needs before departing for the farm.

Measure the ceiling height in the room where the tree will be displayed. The trees in the field look small when the sky is the ceiling. Don't overbuy.

Measure the width of the area of the room where the tree will be displayed. Most trees on tree farms are trimmed to an 80% taper. So a tree that's 10' tall will be 8' wide. A tree that will fit in the room vertically may be entirely too big horizontally.

Are there any individuals in the household who are allergic to pine; if so, consider another species such as Leyland, Sapphire, etc.

What decorating theme will be used ? The Leyland Cypress and Carolina Sapphire have compact foliage and are well suited to small lights, decorations and bows. The Virginia pine has more open branching and is more suited to older style lights and larger decorations. The Cunningham Fir has very open branches. This classic tree can display large decorations for a nostalgic Christmas.

Are there young children in the house ? Both the Carolina Sapphire and the Leyland Cypress have extremely soft foliage. The Virginia Pine is somewhat more sticky and the Cunningham Fir is quite sticky.

What aroma is preferred ? Virginia Pine has the classic evergreen scent. The Carolina Sapphire has the aroma of lemon and mint. Leyland Cypress and Cunningham Fir have little detectable odor of any kind.

What should you expect when you arrive at the farm ?

Most tree farms keep their fields very well groomed, but their are some things that are beyond the farmer's control. Be careful of fire ant mounds, tree stumps, an occasional blackberry vine, uneven ground and sharp saws.

Go to the farm prepared for a day in the country. Wear comfortable shoes and old clothes. Bring rain gear if the weather is threatening. The "cutter downers" and the "loader uppers" should also have gloves. DON'T FORGET THE CAMERA. It's best to leave "Rover" at home. But, if he must come along; keep him on a leash at all times. Please don't let him "mark" other people's trees.

Saws are usually provided by the farm operator.

Some farms measure and price their trees individually, other sell them by the foot.

Head in to the field and select the tree that fits your predetermined needs. Check the trunk to be sure that it is sufficiently straight. Keep in mind that pines will usually have, at least, some crook in their trunks. Leyland Cypress, Carolina Sapphire and Cunningham Fir have almost perfectly straight trunks. Also check that the tree has a sufficiently long handle to accommodate your stand.

In the fall of the year ALL pines drop, or shed, a certain portion of their oldest needles. This is a normal part of the life cycle of the tree. The oldest needles are on the inside of the tree. This phenomena occurs because the tree is preparing itself for winter. The nutrients from the old needles are transferred to the younger needles before the oldest needles are dropped. These additional nutrients act as antifreeze in the liquid in the cells and protects them from freezing during the winter months. It also provides an extra boost to the tree for the spring flush. With this in mind, expect to see some dead needles on the interior of Virginia Pine Christmas trees at the tree farm. Most farms provide shaking, or blowing, services so that you will depart with a perfectly clean pine. The Leyland, Sapphire and Cunningham Fir do not require any cleaning.

Cutting the tree is easiest as a two person project. The "cutter downer" usually lies on the ground. While the helper holds the bottom limbs up. At this the point, be especially careful of ants. While the cut is being made, the helper should tug on the tree lightly to ensure that the saw kerf remains open so that the saw does not bind. The tugging force should be applied to the side of the tree opposite the cut. In the case of the Leylands, the cut is best made by an attendant at the farm using a chain saw. A back cut should be made first with the final cut coming from the opposite side.



Bring the tree to the processing area where it will be cleaned and netted. Netting makes transporting and handling the tree substantially easier.

When you are checking out, remember to pickup a tree removal bag. It can be used as a tree skirt and then pulled up around the tree to help keep the floors clean when the tree is being taken down.

Now you're ready to load the tree and head home to decorate your Real Christmas Tree.

Back to the Front Gate.