Christmas Trees Revisited: Which One Should I Get?

What are some of the best and worst trees in New Jersey & Pennsylvania?

     There are many different kinds of evergreen trees that you can pick out and put up in this area. But when picking out a tree, there are the good, the bad and the ugly.

Good: Fraser Fir. One of my favorites, and I believe THE most popular tree chosen annually. Short, strong needles, strong branching for ornament retention and a nice evergreen smell, plus it lasts fairly long. By the way, it’s pronounced FRAZER, not FRAISER as in the tv show with Kelsey Grammer.

Bad: Blue Spruce. Yes, the blue color is great and the branching is probably the strongest of any evergreen used for Christmas trees, other then maybe a Noble Fir, but the sheer sharpness of the needles makes this tree almost dangerous. You need gloves to decorate it. Trust me when I say, it’ll cut you badly, especially your arms as it scrapes along the skin, so be careful!

Ugly: White Pine. This was my very first real tree many, many years ago, picked out by my brother. It was horrible. It was too big, the needles were too soft and long and the branches couldn’t handle much weight, so the ornaments drooped like crazy, if not fell off completely. And the sap is ridiculous.

What are some other evergreens I can use as a Christmas Tree?

     There are more than a few good trees that can be found in the area whether at nurseries or farms. Other than those mentioned above, Douglas Firs are very popular with strong needle retention and great piney smell. Balsam Firs are, in my opinion, just a junior version of Fraser Firs, with great needle strength and retention and the best smell of all the trees. I also quickly alluded to the Noble Fir which is very much like the perfect combo of the Fraser Fir and Blue Spruce, but very expensive. Just remember to keep it watered and maybe put an aspirin in here and there to prolong its “green” life. The minute you see needles starting to fall in number, it’s time for the tree to go, so don’t mess around because that’s when fires can happen.

What is another good tree I can get for a Christmas Tree?

     Yes, there is another kind of tree you can use in your living rooms or family rooms…the artificial tree. There are so many great options for artificial trees now, and they are super easy to set up, almost like instant Christmas. Prices vary, and clearly the more expensive, the better tree you get. They are so life-like now, it’s amazing and they come with or without lights. Don’t shame me, but I use an artificial tree. Why? Because I like to leave it up several weeks after Christmas and I don’t want to have to worry about it drying out and becoming dangerous. As far as pre-lit verses unlit, my suggestion is to get an unlit tree where you can put any kind of light on you like. Trees that are pre-lit lose their usefulness after several years because the lights go bad after a while. 

What kind of lights should I use for my tree?

     There are a lot of different styles, colors and types of lights for your Christmas trees. The bulbs can be clear, solid or multi-colored. They can be the size of a grain of rice to the larger bulbs that have been around for decades. I personally prefer mini lights. They are reasonably priced and if they go bad, who cares, just get another set. Then there’s the question of incandescent lights which are traditional, or LED which are more expensive to purchase, but last longer and are cheaper concerning your electric bill.  I prefer the classic incandescent light style, but the LED’s are looking more and more like the “old” style, so that’s great. This year, I’ve converted to mostly LEDs and I even purchased the “old style” C7 colored ceramic bulbs which now come in LED and that’s awesome.

So what have we learned?

     Whatever tree you choose, whatever lights you use, it’ll look great. Have an awesome time with family and friends and make many great memories. That’s what it’s all about. Even Clark W. Griswold knew that…not sure about Cousin Eddie!

*** Plant Health Organics is a 100% Organic land care company serving Central NJ and Bucks County PA. We are PROUD of the work we do and know full well that what we do is BEST for you and our world. Contact us at 908-335-0553.***                    

 Joe Gentile, Owner

planthealthorganics.com