Hello! Ho! Ho!! Ho!!!

Everyone is so very busy these days – a’ hustling and a’ bustling – decking those halls – getting ready for Christmas. No doubt we won’t be singing that we’re dreaming of a white Christmas at this point!

At any rate, let’s cut to the chase – today we’re going to talk cut Christmas trees. A timely topic – Christmas trees. Well, actually, it may not be all that timely of a topic, since many of you already have your Christmas trees up! But, then again, all the things that we talk about today just may make you feel really good, because you have already done it all and have done it correctly! Gees, on the other hand, maybe this will make you feel really bad because you didn’t do something that you should have done. And – there are many of us still out there without Christmas trees up at this point in time.

Oh well – at any rate - Christmas trees – get them fresh! If you have the wonderful family tradition of going Christmas tree chopping through your family woodlot or if you all go to a local Christmas tree farm where the trees are all still attached to the ground – no problemo! That Christmas tree is definitely fresh! You can’t get any fresher!

But if you go tree shopping at your neighborhood pre-cut tree lot, then there are some concerns. First you have to purchase your tree early. If that Christmas tree you’re looking at comes from out of the area, then chances are that the tree’s been cut 4 – 5 weeks before it arrived at the lot. And it’s been drying up those 4 – 5 weeks! So ask where that tree comes from. And the sooner you get that Christmas tree home and into water the better.

Next, before you plunk down your money for that perfect pre-cut tree, check it for freshness. Shake that Christmas tree, or thump the base on the ground to see if any needles drop. If only a few fall off, that’s OK; you can be reasonably sure that the Christmas tree is still pretty fresh and healthy. But if a lot of needles fall off, especially green needles, well, you had best move on to another tree and do the thump test on that other tree.

Another way you can check for freshness in that pre-cut Christmas tree is by running your finger down on few of the twigs or branches. Those needles should stay put; they shouldn’t feel brittle.

Also consider where your Christmas tree will fit into your house. Will the Christmas tree you are looking at be too tall or too wide for the room? Be sure to take room measurements before you go Christmas tree shopping. Is that tree perfectly full and symmetrical from all angles? This doesn’t really matter if that Christmas tree is going into a corner of the room where no one will see the backside.

Once you have made your selection on the freshest fullest, most perfect Christmas tree ever, many of the Christmas tree lot owners will bag or tie up the branches so you can securely lash it to your car roof for its ride home. Once you bring your chosen Christmas tree home, do not bring it inside the house right away. Plan on leaving it outside in a cool spot, like out on the porch or in an unheated garage.

Then get a bucket of very warm water. And to this bucket add this Jerry Baker Christmas tree tonic:
    2 cups of corn syrup
    2 tablespoons of bleach
    4 multi-vitamins with iron
Mix all this up until it dissolves. Then cut off an inch or two from the bottom of
your Christmas tree trunk to remove the dried sap that is plugging up the water
tubules. This dried sap is like a scab that forms on any conifer tree wound; it
prevents the absorption of any water to keep the tree hydrated. And the aim is to
always keep your cut Christmas tree hydrated.

After you cut off an inch or two from the bottom of the Christmas tree, immediately set that tree in that tonic bucket and let it stay over night. The following day you can bring in the tree. For even longer shelf life for that Christmas tree, you can also spray it with an anti-desiccant like WiltPruf before bringing it in. This waxy spray coating will help the tree retain moisture in its millions of needles. If you do spray your Christmas tree with an anti-desiccant, allow it to dry for 6 hours before bringing it in.

OK – now that Christmas tree is ready to come in! First square off that bottom of
the trunk and immediately stick it into the tree stand filled with lots of water.
Especially in the beginning, expect that Christmas tree to drink plenty of water –
from 2 cups to ½ gallon each day – depending on the size of the tree and the
temperature of the room that it is in.

Some people put aspirins in the tree water; others put lemon soda. Some use
commercial tree preservatives; most swear by just plain, old tap water.
Whatever!!! Just make absolutely positively sure that your Christmas tree is always
sitting in water.

More next week!

Remember – Eat Smart New York!

And – Bye – Talk to you soon!
D