From our farm, to your home.

When you bring your tree home, ready to be decorated for the holidays, you can expect that it will remain crisp and green as the day you purchased it. Yet important to remember that unless you have purchased a pre-dug, live tree, your tree is... dead. Just as cut flowers will retain their brightness and shape for only a certain amount of time, eventually all cut Christmas trees will lose their colour and begin to wilt. However, don't lose heart! Below are a few easy tips to keep your tree fresh and perky through the season.

Before leaving the tree farm, grasp the tree firmly and pound its stump on the ground. This dislodges any loose or dead needles, which may be lingering within its branches. This is especially crucial for our Grand Firs as they are characteristically very bushy.

Once the tree has arrived at your home, it is best to leave it covered—either in a carport, shed or garage—overnight so that the tree has a chance to climatize. Right before you bring the tree inside, give your Christmas tree a fresh cut, removing an extra half-inch off the stump. This will allow the tree to take in fresh oxygen and water, as the sap can conglomerate across the bottom and cause an impenetrable seal.

Once inside, avoid placing your tree in front of a heat source, including area heaters, furnaces, or fireplaces. Even if your tree is taking in lots of water, too much heat and not enough air circulation will result in brittle needles and will speed up the decaying process.

Place your tree in a tree stand whose diameter is proportionate to that of your tree. Our Noble firs and Fraser firs tend to have thicker stumps. If the stump is not fitting properly, do not trim away the bark from the base of the stump. The tree drinks not only through the cut side of its stump but also through the bark and you want to ensure that your tree is taking in the maximum amount of water possible to keep it supple and fresh.

Ensure that your tree has adequate water--do not be surprised if it drinks up to 2 litres of water per day - especially at the beginning. LED lights are more environmentally friendly and less hazardous than their predecessors. Remember to unplug all lights each night and before leaving the house. We do not recommend placing lit candles in your Christmas tree, for obvious fire hazard reasons. After the holidays, remember to bring your tree in for tree-chipping.