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One other year I wrote an article on selecting a Christmas tree. The problem was that by the time I did some research and the article was published, the buying fever was over for that Christmas season. I was curious if live tree purchase is still what most people prefer, so I went to a tree farm. I went to the Erickson Brothers Tree Farm, on Highway 8, about 3 miles west of Taylors Falls. There are other tree farms in the area, but the Erickson Tree Farm is just across Highway 8 from where we live.

They shared with me that the Balsam fir is the best seller in the St. Croix valley. It is the only Christmas tree that is native to Minnesota. The needles are flat, 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, dark green, very fragrant, and the tree retains the needles well.

The Fraser fir is fast becoming very popular. However, it is often sold at a premium price. It has soft, short needles and somewhat twisted branches that expose the deep bluish underside of the needles. This species has both excellent fragrance and needle retention.

In the 1950's the Red or Norway pine was the most popular tree in Minnesota. It is also our state tree. Its needles are in clusters of two and are longer than those of either Scotch or White Pine. Needle retention is similar to that of other pines.

White pine has gained favor in recent years because of its flexible soft needles, full appearance, excellent fragrance and blue green color. It also holds its needles well. The White Pine also is reported to cause fewer allergic reactions than other Christmas tree varieties.

Scotch pine is the most widely planted pine species for Christmas tree production in Minnesota. Needle retention is excellent and the fragrance is good. The foliage of some varieties of Scotch pine change in autumn from green to various shades of yellow-green, so an artificial colorant is often used to make them look greener. Scotch pines are trimmed to grow full, which provide lots of outside surface to decorate, but not much room for ornaments in the interior of the tree.

Colorado Spruce holds their needles the best of all the spruce, but none of the spruce hold their needles very long after being cut. The sharp, stiff blue-green needles can make the handling of the trees unpleasant, but have the reputation of preventing cat attacks as well. The openness of the branch makes it excellent for decorations.

White spruce is similar in needle retention of Colorado spruce. The tree has a nice cone form and a greener color than the Colorado spruce but some people object to the odor of the foliage.

Black Hills spruce is a variety of the White spruce and sometimes is available as well. The needle of the Black Hills spruce is shorter and darker green in color than the white spruce.

If you purchase a pre-cut tree try to determine when the tree was cut. Some lots sell trees cut weeks earlier and transported in uncovered flat bed trucks, so the trees may be already dried out. If you want to buy a fresh long lasting pre-cut tree, find a vendor selling trees that are regionally harvested shortly before selling.

There are a couple of ways to check for freshness. One way is to bend the needles and the other way is to thump the base of the tree. A bent needle should spring back, and not break, and thumping the base of the tree against the ground should yield few fallen needles. If a tree fails either test, keep looking.

If the tree is not brought inside right away, store it in an unheated building or protected area away from the sun or wind. When you bring it in, make a fresh cut on the trunk to allow the tree to easily absorb water. A tree of average height will consume as much as two quarts of water a day at first. The tree will gradually decrease its water use over time.

Another option to ensure tree freshness is to go to one of the tree farms in the area and pick out your own tree. Good luck in finding a tree of your liking and have a great and safe holiday season.

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Holiday Gifts

The holiday season is a good time to check tubers such as dahlias, gladiolus, tuberous begonias, cannas, and other bulbs that are stored in the basement or root cellar. We need to go through them again to be sure they dried properly and that bulbs that become soft or rotting are discarded before they become a problem to the other bulbs. If they begin to sprout prematurely, the bulbs have been stored at temperatures that are too high.

My intention is to write articles on plants that you may give or receive during the upcoming holidays. Plants such as amaryllis, poinsettia, Christmas cactus, Norfolk pine, Cyclamen and others.

Cut flowers, however, are also popular gifts for the holiday season. There are many birthdays and anniversaries during this season, and cut flowers are very popular. If I were to write about cut flowers, I would be way out of my league. That is why I went around to local flower shops and green houses for information.

Roses continue to be the most popular cut flower for any occasion, including the Christmas holiday. Red is still the most popular color if men are buying, followed by yellow and orange. On the other hand, women prefer to buy the pastel colors. Many shoppers, including me, fail to realize that roses come in many very beautiful colors and combinations of colors. The majority of roses we buy come from foreign countries where warmer and most consistent temperatures prevail. The problem of wilting flowers during flight has been solved. They now have chemicals that can restore wilting roses we buy in a matter of minutes.

The next most popular cut flower is the carnation. One of the reasons carnations are so popular is because of their durability with little care. It is not unusual for them to last two to three weeks or longer.

The next groups of cut flowers that are popular include mums, pompoms, and daisies. Again, their durability and low maintenance make them popular. Also, all cut flowers purchased in flower shops are in a non-wilting solution. You can also buy a mixture to add to the cut flowers to keep them fresh when in the home.

While in one of the flower shops, I noticed many other possible gifts that are not just potted plants or cut flowers. An example would be the Chia Pet Planter. The Chia Pet originated and continues to be manufactured by Joseph Enterprises, Inc. of San Francisco, California. The animal figures were introduced in 1977.

Figurines have hollow clay bodies with a portion having many small grooves in which moistened chia seeds are positioned. Moistened seeds produce thick gel-like paste that binds seeds to the clay surface. Place Chia Pet on a tray to collect water run off and this water should be discarded. The figurine is reclaimable so additional seeds can be purchased and vessel used over again.

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