Even the most bah humbug of people must be happy to see the Christmas lights and decorations going up.
But, even putting a real tree up a couple of weeks earlier could mean that it needs to be looked after a bit more to last the full holiday season. So, we asked a farmer who grows them the best ways to keep your real tree looking fabulous.
Mick Wade runs the 20-acre Wade's Christmas Trees Farm just outside Swords and he grows around 20,000 at any given time. Right now he is really busy, but he needs a lot of patience too...
It is very important to know how slow they are to grow. In fact my Christmas trees that are seven to eight foot high are 12 years old.
The trick is in the pruning. I am always slowing them down in order to have them full and bushy and to avoid big open gaps. It is a little bit like how you grow a hedge.
I have four main varieties:
- Nordmand Fir
- Grandis Fir
- Norway spruce
- Blue Spruce.
A lot of people buy a tree for outside. The best types for this are Grandis Fir and Norway Spruce.
Mick supplied the tree for After School Hub too
Keeping your tree spruced up!
Now, regarding how to look after your Christmas tree once you have it home is simple. It must be in a stand that takes water and equally important you must top up the water every day, do not let it dry out as the base will 'seal' and make it difficult to take in water when you top up.
You always have to remember, the tree in the house will think it is summer and want water badly.
So, when my customers buy their trees, the tree is cut fresh in front of them and is very fresh and in their water stands within a few hours.
Some people put sugar in the water or even even 7Up! I am not sure if this helps but it wont do any harm.
Real Christmas trees are very good for the environment, they take carbon out of the atmosphere and we always replant . The soil is very healthy and full of insect life, wild mushrooms and in the spring and summer many birds nest in the trees but by December they are completely finished with their nests.
