ALL ABOUT FESTIVE GREENERY
Ruth’s top tips for buying a Christmas tree
DECORATING the house for Christmas is one of the highlights of the season. As well as the tree, which is usually the focal point, there are also lots of beautiful natural decorations that be made from evergreen foliage, seedheads and berries foraged from your garden.
Whether you buy a ready- cut tree or bring a potted one indoors for the duration, there are certain things you need to bear in mind. If you are buying a cut tree, decide which variety you are after and which fits your price bracket (see panel, right).
Ideally, select a tree that hasn’t already been netted so you can see its size and shape and check how healthy it is. Avoid any that are already starting to droop or lose needles – one
good way of testing the state of a tree is to lift it 2.5cm (1in) or so off the ground and let it drop. If the light thump of the end of the trunk hitting the ground dislodges a lot of needles, choose another tree.
Once you get your tree back home, remove the netting and cut 2.5cm (1in) off the base of the trunk before standing it in a bucket of water to rehydrate for as long as possible.
Where possible, avoid trimming the sides of the trunk to fit its stand as this removes the area of trunk that is used for drawing up water and nutrients.
Stand your tree in a cool room, away from direct heat. Use a stand with a water reservoir and top it up regularly, daily if necessary, as trees need up to a pint of water each day to keep them looking good and prevent needle-loss.
On the opposite page I show you how to make a simple festive table decoration from greenery foraged from the garden and move a potted tree into a larger container.