A greens Christmas

The Wichita Eagle

November 23, 2007

Talk of a green Christmas seems to be bigger than talk of a white Christmas anymore. (That may be an idea for a songwriter right there.) Green, of course, is a trendy word for being environmentally conscious, and it's a term that can be trotted out in favor of real Christmas trees. Unless, of course, you manufacture artificial trees.

'The big benefit of an artificial tree is 'reuse,' ' Thomas Harman says. He's founder of the high-end artificial tree manufacturer Balsam Hill.

I have to come down on the side of real trees because I love Christmas tree farms and I want them to stay in business. We have one fewer farm in the area this year -- the owner of Noel Christmas Tree Farm in Atlanta has retired. But there's good news, too:

'People are kind of going back to the natural stuff,' says Susan Grelinger of Windy Knoll Tree Farm in Derby. She's the secretary of the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association.

'Look at where all the recalls are from,' she adds, referring to recent food and toy recalls from China, where most artificial trees are made.

The main thing is, what other reason do we have to go into a forest, choose a tree that speaks to us, cut it down and take it into our home? It's really pretty awe-inspiring.

I have no problem tucking artificial trees in here or there in addition to the real one. But I also recommend more than one real tree -- one for inside, of course, and then at least one in a pot on the front porch and/or back deck, to keep color in the landscape beyond Christmas. If you cut off the bottom branches (to use elsewhere in pots or window boxes or anywhere they're needed), plop the tree in the potting soil that's already there, and water it maybe once lightly, it'll stay green for much of winter.

An outdoor tree is a great alternative too for those who don't want to deal with needles and water in the house. Just light the tree up on the porch, open your front door and drapes, and take in the view from the warmth of the house.

Cut trees

Garden centers and tree lots that sell trees grown in other states -- Fraser, balsam, Douglas, noble and concolor firs that are not native to Kansas -- report that the trees are heavy and full of moisture this year. It's a good thing, because Thanksgiving, the traditional starting gun to Christmas-tree-buying season, was early this year.

'It's five weeks this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas,' says Cathy Brady, owner of Brady Nursery. 'It used to be people would buy the tree about the 15th (of December) and have it up about two weeks.'

It's especially important that the level of water in tree stands be checked and refilled often, she says.

'People don't think about how much water trees pull up in the first three to five days. Another day, another half gallon or more. You've got to keep checking.'

She also recommends closing any vents within 20 feet of the tree.

The most popular tree at Brady continues to be the Fraser, Cathy says.

'They hold up so well,' she says. And once they've held up inside, they can be moved outside to provide cover for birds. You can roll pinecones in peanut butter and adorn the tree with them to feed the birds, and the tree will stay green until the end of March, Cathy says.

At Hillside Nursery, concolor firs from New Mexico and Colorado are a popular choice.

'There was a lot of moisture in the mountains so they look great,' says John Firsching of Hillside. Concolors also last a long time -- through the 12 days of Christmas, until Jan. 6, if they're kept at 65 degrees, he says.

Waterproofing

Flocking trees is another way to keep them around for a long time. It locks in the moisture. But John recommends keeping even a flocked tree in a little water. 'It should drink something,' he says.

Cathy's family always sprays their mom's Christmas tree with Wiltpruf before taking it into the house. The same can be done with any type of greens used inside or outside the house to keep them from drying out so quickly. The product, called an anti-desiccant, is normally used as a spray for hollies and other evergreen shrubs and trees that lose moisture through the winter through their leaves because they don't drop them. Many of the Christmas trees and greens at Hillside have been Wiltprufed ahead of time.

If you plan to buy a tree from a garden center or tree lot but don't plan to put it up yet, it's still best to buy it now for freshness and then keep it in a bucket of water on the north side of the house until you do want to decorate. Then, right before you bring it in, cut a fresh inch or so off the bottom of the trunk to maximize the water it takes up.

Other greens

Beyond the tree, you can find greens for decorating at garden centers, floral shops, Christmas tree farms and tree lots. Wreaths, garlands, boughs, stems and swags come either decorated or au naturel. The greens at Brady Nursery include noble fir boughs, garlands of Douglas fir and incense cedar and a mix of both. Princess pine and golden arborvitae are a couple of the other choices at Hillside. You can buy berried holly stems from the florist.

Among the greens for decorating, pine is popular because the boughs are large and take up a lot of space, John says.

Some people make it a tradition to put a grave blanket made of greens on a loved one's cemetery plot. Cathy Brady remembers making them from Caneart junipers grown in her family's fields when she was in junior and senior high.

She was relieved when the nursery started buying them ready-made. The grave blankets at Brady now are usually made of balsam fir hooked onto a chicken-wire backing, Cathy says, and cost $47 for an adult size. The blankets can be decorated or left as is. Cemeteries usually require that the blankets be removed around Jan. 1, she says.

Hillside also carries grave blankets, with a mixture of greens including Douglas and concolor fir, at a cost of about $75.

One thing Hillside doesn't have this year is mistletoe. The nursery has offered it in the past, but 'we've never been able to keep it very well,' John says.

He's kissed it goodbye.

Copyright © 2007 The Wichita Eagle, All Rights Reserved.