MONTY’S PLANT OF THE WEEK

CHRISTMAS TREE

Lots of us will be choosing our Christmas tree this weekend, most opting for either a Norway spruce ( Picea abies) or a Nordmann fir ( Abies nordmanniana, left). The spruce looks ‘right’ and has that lovely Christmassy scent but tends to shed its needles, whereas the fir has denser branches and is more truly evergreen, only shedding its needles after about 15 years. Whichever type you choose, place the tree in moist soil or sand or a bucket of water, even if it does not have roots, as the cut stem will still take up moisture. Place it somewhere cool to delay the shedding of needles.