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Joe Gentile

Christmas Trees: 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.



 

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.



Ugly: White Pine. It was horrible. It was too big, the needles were too soft and long and the branches can’t handle much weight, so the ornaments drooped like crazy.



 

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.



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.



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

    

    

 

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