Oh, Christmas tree!

One of my early recollections of a Christmas tree was a balsam fir that my uncle bought at a Christmas tree lot in Kansas City.

It was the Charlie Brown type, a straight 6-foot trunk with about 10 branches on it. I'm sure that even with lights, ornaments and tinsel, to an adult it looked pretty sparse. But at the age of eight, I thought the tree looked "wow." Besides, there were presents under the tree with my name on them.

Christmas was always a family affair when I was growing up. All of the cousins, aunts and uncles, would converge at grandma's on the farm. Grandpa's tree was always an Eastern red cedar that was cut out of the woods. You could smell the aroma of the tree immediately when you came into the farmhouse.

When my parents retired to the farm, Dad carried on the tradition of having an Eastern red cedar as a Christmas tree. Quite often the tree took up an entire wall in the family room. Of course the tree had to be big, so that all of the presents could fit under its branches.

Christmas trees provided me with subject material for my graduate research. The study looked at flowering phenology (the timing of flowering) of different sources of jack pine.

When wife Marilyn and I married, the church was decorated with real Christmas trees. They were covered with red satin balls. We still put a few of those ornaments on our Christmas tree each year.

I guess you can say that I like real Christmas trees. If you, too, like real trees and want the aroma of Christmas pervading your home, fold up that artificial tree, put it back in the box and get a cut tree such as a Frazier fir, balsam fir, Douglas fir, Scotch pine, white pine, etc. You can keep that cut tree fresh and aromatic by following a few simple steps.

When you get your tree home, cut about an inch off of the butt of the tree. Also remove enough lower branches so that the tree will easily fit into your Christmas tree stand. Immediately after cutting, place the tree into the stand and then fill with water. You are trying to eliminate any air pockets that may develop after cutting. Air in the vascular system of the tree will keep water in the tree stand from moving up into the tree.

While your tree is outside, spray it with an anti-transpirant called Anti-Stress 2000. This polymeric product will clog up the stomata (pores) in the needles and not allow water to transpire out of the foliage. In effect, the anti-transpirant will keep the tree from losing much water.

After the Anti-Stress 2000 has dried, move the tree into your home. Be sure to place your tree away from hot air drafts and fireplaces.

Make sure that plenty of water is in the tree stand at all times. Be sure to check the water level in the tree stand at least two times per day, especially during the first week that you have the tree in your home.

You can put a preservative into the water of the tree stand. Use a product called Floral Life. This preservative will help keep your tree fresher longer.

If at all possible keep the temperature in the room where you have your tree about 60 to 65 degrees. The lower temperatures will help keep the tree fresher longer.

With these few tips in mind, you can enjoy your decorated Christmas tree throughout the holiday season. So sit back, breathe in the fragrance and think of Christmases past.

Send your gardening and landscape questions to Paul Schnare at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699 or by e-mail to news@semissourian.com.