Making the Most From Your Real Christmas Tree
Most of us love to bring in a real tree to decorate our home at Christmas time.
But they can be expensive and many will argue, environmentally wasteful.
Here are a few tips for those who are prepared to splash out.
For those who have worries about the effect on the environment of bringing a real cut tree into the house each Christmas it might be worth considering that in most cases you can assume that for every one tree cut down for decoration at Christmas, at least one or even more are planted in its place.
Another way to make sure buying a real tree is eco-friendly is to buy from a local grower.
Those trees imported from Europe contribute to our collective carbon footprint and also deprive British growers of business.
When considering which tree to buy don't be over ambitious - buying a taller tree than you need is not only wasteful but will also be more expensive.
Once you have brought your tree indoors make sure you saw off at least an inch from the base to help it draw up water.
Keep the reservoir topped up especially if room is very warm.
It is best not to position your tree too near to radiators or a fire.
Real trees can be bought cut or in containers.
If you are thinking of buying a container tree, don't be fooled into thinking you will be able to plant it out in the garden after the festivities; container trees have simply been placed into a pot for resale, they have little or no root ball and would be unlikely to survive if planted.
If you do want to buy a containerised tree make sure it has been grown in a pot from a sapling.
You can then recycle it by keeping it outside in one of your favourite garden planters.
This is better than planting it out and then digging it up each year which will place too much stress on the root system.
Keep your tree in a north facing spot and feed once a year.
There is no reason why you can't keep a real tree outside and decorate it for Christmas or even decorate an existing tree in your garden (after all people decorate the outside of their houses with all sorts of lights and other decorations).
Buy a set of outdoor lights and your tree will provide a real welcome to festive guests.
But they can be expensive and many will argue, environmentally wasteful.
Here are a few tips for those who are prepared to splash out.
For those who have worries about the effect on the environment of bringing a real cut tree into the house each Christmas it might be worth considering that in most cases you can assume that for every one tree cut down for decoration at Christmas, at least one or even more are planted in its place.
Another way to make sure buying a real tree is eco-friendly is to buy from a local grower.
Those trees imported from Europe contribute to our collective carbon footprint and also deprive British growers of business.
When considering which tree to buy don't be over ambitious - buying a taller tree than you need is not only wasteful but will also be more expensive.
Once you have brought your tree indoors make sure you saw off at least an inch from the base to help it draw up water.
Keep the reservoir topped up especially if room is very warm.
It is best not to position your tree too near to radiators or a fire.
Real trees can be bought cut or in containers.
If you are thinking of buying a container tree, don't be fooled into thinking you will be able to plant it out in the garden after the festivities; container trees have simply been placed into a pot for resale, they have little or no root ball and would be unlikely to survive if planted.
If you do want to buy a containerised tree make sure it has been grown in a pot from a sapling.
You can then recycle it by keeping it outside in one of your favourite garden planters.
This is better than planting it out and then digging it up each year which will place too much stress on the root system.
Keep your tree in a north facing spot and feed once a year.
There is no reason why you can't keep a real tree outside and decorate it for Christmas or even decorate an existing tree in your garden (after all people decorate the outside of their houses with all sorts of lights and other decorations).
Buy a set of outdoor lights and your tree will provide a real welcome to festive guests.
Source...