Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- December 4, 2007

When selecting your Christmas tree, consult the calendar (:44)

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Suggested Intro:

BEFORE YOU GO OUT TO BRING HOME A FRESH CHRISTMAS TREE, YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK THE CALENDAR. A CHRISTMAS TREE SPECIALIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON COULD BE AN ENDURANCE TEST FOR FIRS. GARY ABDULLAH HAS THE STORY:

Story:

(:15) THE SEASON STARTED WITH A RATHER EARLY THANKSGIVING, WHICH MEANS ENTHUSIASTIC FAMILIES COULD HAVE THEIR CHRISTMAS TREES INDOORS FOR MORE THAN FIVE WEEKS BY NEW YEAR'S DAY. PENN STATE HORTICULTURIST RICK BATES SAYS WHEN CHOOSING THIS YEAR'S TREE, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WHICH VARIETIES LAST THE LONGEST:

Bates Actuality:
(:19) "THE TWO BEST SPECIES ARE FRASER FIR AND DOUGLAS FIR. BOTH HAVE VERY GOOD TRACK RECORDS FOR NEEDLE RETENTION, FOR REMAINING FRESH INSIDE. AFTER THAT, CANAAN FIR AND CONCOLOR FIR AREN'T QUITE AS GOOD. UMM…YOU'RE PUSHING IT AFTER ABOUT A MONTH INSIDE."

(:10) BATES SAYS HIS ESTIMATES ASSUME THAT YOUR TREE IS MOUNTED AWAY FROM HEAT SOURCES AND GETS PLENTY OF WATER -- UP TO A GALLON PER DAY FOR THE AVERAGE FOUR-INCH TRUNK. FROM PENN STATE, I'M GARY ABDULLAH.

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Learn more:

Caring for Your Cut Christmas Tree (College of Agricultural Sciences publication in PDF format -- Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

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