Our Christmas tree even has an authenticating Plant Passport

YOUR columnist Tim Davey’s deliberations over buying (‘Thoughts From A Safe distance’ 10th & 17th Dec) their family Christmas tree led me to reflect on a similar purchase.

Having tired of an artificial replica for many years, do we buy a real tree cut off in its prime only to slowly rot away over Christmas and then to be put out with the rubbish in the New Year, or a potted one with roots?

Well for the first time in decades we bought a pot-grown Nordman Fir which after Christmas can be repotted in a larger pot, or planted in the garden. If the former is chosen it could be used for several years indoors before eventually being resited to naturally age outside.

Now if I was a Christmas tree with a choice of being chopped down or dug up and potted I’d prefer to take my chances in a pot rather than waiting on the pavement for the bin men!

When we purchased our tree it had two tags on it, one with its care needs and the other had an eight digit number.

The supplier was Needlefresh and on its website if you entered the number it told you amazingly where your tree was grown and other horticultural facts.

Ours was grown in Denmark and a map of its growing area displayed. It also informed us that the tree was planted in a pot as a seed in 2012 before being transferred to mother earth in 2016. It stayed there until being carefully potted for its journey to the UK circa Christmas 2020.

Moreover, it even has an authenticating EU Plant Passport attached to its label.

In my mature years I find this website recorded connectivity with a humble Christmas tree somewhat rewarding. With the tree happily positioned and decorated it only remains to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

R L Smith

Knowle