Quest for finding the perfect tree

by David Womack
The Gayly Gardner

Season’s greetings to all you gardeners. December is the most spirited month of the year and we have just one more addition to our early winter list: To search for the holiday tree.

We remember our own family searches for the perfect holiday tree whether this perfect evergreen tree be of fir, pine or spruce variety. Now my gardeners, we embark on starting our own tradition.

This quest of finding the perfect tree goes way, way back to the 15^th century. It was recorded in written history and finds the first decorated holiday tree a fir.

An evergreen tree has been a symbol used to celebrate the winter festivals (Pagan and Christian) for thousands of years. Pagans also used the branches to decorate both inside and outside their homes during the Winter Solstice, as this gave them inspiration of the upcoming spring.

Germany was credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we know it in the 16^th century when devout Christians brought one of these evergreens to decorate their homes.

Just in the United States, there are more than 35 different species of evergreens grown and farmed just for their Christmas appeal. The different varieties and species are:

• Fir family: Balsam, Canaan, Douglas, Frasier and Nordman

• Pine family: White, Scotch, Virginia and Hillside

• Spruce family: Colorado Blue, Norway and White

First, in your search for the evergreen tree, do you want to have a live or cut tree?

A live tree, like ball and burlap (B&B), can be in the margin of 4-6 years old before leaving the growing farms. While in the home and being used during the holidays, keep in mind not to let the ball dry out and be knocked around. This will ensure a successful planting when your evergreen is transplanted outdoors.

At the end of the holiday, replant your evergreen. Dig the hole large enough to offer soft soil for the new root shoots to not crowd. Place the evergreen at the same depth at which it was planted before; add the staking support on the side that receives the most wind before removing the excess burlap from the crown area of the trunk. Leave the remaining burlap to hold the ball intact.

Add a little water in the bottom before backfilling soil around the base of the ball. Continue the backfilling to halfway and tap down the soil around the ball (be gentle). Add a little more water before completely filling the hole around the ball, breaking up any soil clods during this step and then build a water ring around the hole with the excess grassy soil mix. Apply mulch two to three inches thick to hold in moisture for the ball.

The growing of evergreens for cut trees has become a huge business. File photo.

A cut tree is where the growing of evergreens has become a huge business, with thousands of acres being devoted to their cultivation. These farms are considered short-term rotation crops, being harvested normally in less than 10 years after being planted from saplings.

While indoors, be sure to keep your tree in plenty of water. Place the tree in a stand that will hold at least a gallon of water. The key to keeping your tree fresh is to keep the bottom two inches of the trunk in water, even if that means refilling the stand every day.

Having a cut tree can also teach us about trees. For instance, trees have yearly growth rings in their trunks. Hidden within these growth rings lies the history of the tree and the width of these rings tells us their growing conditions in any one year. Ring records may cover decades, centuries or even thousands of years.

To end, here's a little tidbit about the Norway spruce; it was traditionally known and used in making the bellies of violins and other stringed instruments. I wonder if the fiddler on the roof knew the age of his fiddle.

Copyright The Gayly – December 3, 2017 @ 12:20 p.m. CST.