Dan Cassens, a Purdue University wood products specialist, said 2012 was a challenging year for tree growth due to an extensive drought which killed an abundance of trees, according to a press release from the university.
“We thought we could lose all the trees,” Cassens said in the release. “But the stronger trees prevailed, and last year the trees looked good by the time Christmas season came around.”
Since the drought in 2012, though, trees have continued to grow stronger and abundantly, Cassens explained.
“This year, with the rain and cooler weather, the trees just grew beautifully,” he said in the release. “They were just really doing the best that they absolutely could.”
Cassens owns his own tree farm in West Lafayette and is a member of the National Christmas Tree Association.
The NCTA “is the national trade association representing the Christmas tree industry,” according to its website.
Members like Cassens are part of a network that represents more than 700 farms, 29 state and regional associations and more than 4,000 affiliated businesses that work with Christmas trees and related supplies, according to the association’s website.
The most common species of Christmas tree found in Indiana are fir trees and Scotch pines, Cassens said in the release.
Cassens attributed this to the fact that these species last longest when used for indoor holiday decorating, as many will keep their trees for around a month.
“Many people will put up their Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and keep it until after New Year,” according to the release.
Fir trees, however, generally cost twice as much as Scotch or white pines, Cassens said in the release.
Cassens outlines in the press release several points for caring for live trees during the holidays.
Among his advice is keeping size in mind: both of the tree and of house space.
“Buying a tree that is too tall for a room can be wasteful because you will end up trimming the tree to make it fit, thereby spending more on the tree than what was necessary,” Cassens said in the release.
He also advises keeping the species of the tree, straightness of its trunk and freshness of the tree in mind and inspecting the base of the tree before buying.
Fir trees, for instance, usually have straighter trunks than Scotch pines, Cassens explains, and those interested in buying trees should avoid trees with yellow spots, which indicate that the tree is not fresh.
It is also important to ensure that the tree has enough water in its stand, Cassens said in the release.
Without sufficient water, trees will dry out quickly, therefore not lasting as long as they normally could.
The vision of the NCTA, according to its website, is to make farm-grown trees part of every Christmas celebration.
Cassens said the important thing about selecting the right Christmas tree, however, is not the species or the look of the tree, but whether or not it is a good fit for the shopper’s household.
“What species it is or how it looks doesn’t make that much difference,” Cassens said in the release. “Find the one you like and be happy with it.”
Anicka Slachta
