The University of Minnesota Extension's horticulture experts offer a few tips for picking the perfect tree this year.
Photo by:
istock.com/Nathaniel_Young
- Run a branch through your lightly closed hand. If the branch loses a lot of needles, it's not healthy.
- Choose a variety that meets your needs-Scots pine for needle retention, Balsam firs for that piney smell or Fraser firs for sturdy branches.
- Trim the trunk before putting it in the stand, and keep it well watered throughout the season. (Per day, that's one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter).
