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Choosing a Christmas tree can be a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy, whether perusing a lot full of cut firs and pines or whether venturing out to a tree farm where the perfect seasonal addition to your home décor awaits.
Wayne Rowland, Vance County Cooperative Extension’s natural resources technician, has some suggestions to make sure consumers get the best bang for the buck. Tree prices, like so many other items, are higher this year.
Live, cut trees are completely recyclable. But they also are perishable. To make sure trees hold their needles through the Christmas season, they should get water regularly and stay in a cool spot.
Trees, of course, come in all heights, but they also receive a grade, depending on their shape and fullness. If your tree is going to be visible from all sides, you may want to purchase a #1, or premium grade tree; if you’re putting it in a corner with only a couple of sides visible, perhaps a #2 grade will suffice. Foliage density, color and fragrance are additional factors to consider.
A ball-and-burlap tree is another option for those in search of a Christmas tree – the tree’s roots are literally wrapped in burlap for planting in the landscape after being enjoyed over Christmas in your home. Rowland reminds consumers to make sure that the tree you select will survive in this climate.