ALMetro360

onfused about how to choose the best Christmas tree for your family? The experts at Wadsworth Christ- mas Tree Farm can help! With these tips for choosing the optimal real Christmas tree and keeping it looking good for as long as possible, you'll have the best Christmas tree on the block. Chopping down your own Christmas tree can be a great holiday tradition but before you pack everyone up and head to the farm, it pays to prepare. T IPS … 1. Measure your space. Be sure to know what height and width you need. Trees in the field look small when the sky is the ceiling. 2. Determine what type of decorations you will be using. Different species have different branch strength, branch length, foliage, aroma and color. 3. Select a straight trunk with sufficient handle to accom- modate your stand. If the handle is not long enough, the tree may not sit completely down in the stand causing it to lose the ability to drink water. This typically is between 7-8 inches. 4. There should be one vertical branch sturdy enough to hold your tree topper. 5. If purchasing a pre-cut tree, do the freshness test. The needles should not fall off easily and the branches should be bend- able, not brittle. 6. Select a tree with symmetry. The base of the tree should be 80% of its height. For example, if you select a 10 foot tree, the base should be 8 foot. This will ensure that your tree distributes its weight properly. T REES A VAILABLE AT W ADSWORTH C HRISTMAS T REE F ARM … Choose and cut: Leyland Cypress, Arizona Cypress, Murray Cypress, Eastern Red Cedar,Virginia Pine Pre-Cut: Fraser Fir, Black Hill Spruce Final Tip: Taking Your Tree Down — The best way to avoid a major mess is to prepare to take your tree down before you even put it up. Just place a plastic tree bag (available at any hardware store) underneath the stand, which you can hide with a tree skirt. Then, when the holidays are done, pull the bag up around the tree, stand and all, and carry it outside. Remove the stand before recycling the tree. If some needles do scatter inside, sweep them up; needles can clog vacuum cleaners. n Wadsworth Christmas Tree Farm 3071 Dexter Rd. Wetumpka, AL 36092 334.567.6308 www.wadsworthchristmastrees.com 30 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree S TAFF R EPORT T HERE ’ S NO DOUBT THAT A C HRISTMAS TREE IS THE EPICENTER OF HOLIDAY TRADITION . I F YOU ’ RE PLANNING ON GOING THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE AND BUYING A FRESH TREE THIS YEAR , DON ’ T SKIMP ON QUALITY . A FTER ALL , NOBODY WANTS TO BUY A TREE THAT TURNS BROWN BEFORE S ANTA ARRIVES ! C