Christmas Trees Athlone, Ireland

There are 3 types of common Christmas trees with some outlets providing up to 4 varieties of trees in different sizes.

Nordmann Fir – Dark green foliage and soft pines with slightly upward facing branches, suited to fewer decorations. A popular choice with the ability to hold its needles well and more tolerant to a warmer environment. This tree type regularly exhibits a full conical shape with some being very well built at the base.

Fraser Fir – Leaner in shape with much denser foliage, very full with a more even conical shape. Holds its pines well and are generally well developed in smaller sizes. Ideal for smaller more compact rooms.

Nobel Fir – Until recently these trees were the common choice for household over the Christmas season, however they have fallen out of favour and hence less likely to be stocked by providers. This is due to the fuller and more evenly spread trees now available such as the ones below.

Norway Spruce – Light green fine needles with a sharp end. Very susceptible to losing its needles as they would be known as the shedding tree.

Check the tree’s freshness. To find the best Christmas tree that will last the longest, gently grab the inside of a branch, close to the centre and pull your hand towards you. The needles should stay on the tree, if you find a few needles end up flaking off in your hands then it may have been cut too early or need more moisture. Alternatively, gently tap the cut end of a tree on the ground if a few needles fall off, it should be fine. If lots of needles fall off, it may not be in a fresh state and you should keep searching for a different tree.

Ask advice from whomever is selling the trees and enquire about where they have come from, when they were cut and arrived. The more prominent and well established providers such as garden centre will avoid bad suppliers and ensure the trees are good quality. Just remember “you get what you pay for” and if you don’t inspect it well and ensure it is perfect for you then you will have to spend the Christmas looking at it for the sake of 5 minutes or a few extra euros.

Top Tips: Measure, measure, measure. There’s nothing worse than picking out the best Christmas tree, getting it home, and finding out it’s too tall / wide for your room. Before you leave the house, measure both your ceiling height and the height of your Christmas tree stand to get the perfect size tree. To enquire about our Christmas trees, contact us today.

Cutting the end off the trunk is critical to opening up the veins that will deliver water to the branches. Use a saw, and take at least an inch off and put it in water within 3 hours. Otherwise, the end will glaze over with new pitch, and the tree won’t take up water. If you are not putting your tree up when you take it home, stand it in a bucket of water outside till you are ready for it.

Keep an eye on the size of your stand. You want to be sure the trunk of your tree will fit in it, and that it’s big enough to keep your tree upright. If you’re upgrading to a larger tree you will need to upgrade your stand. If you have a stand at home bring it with you to make sure the base fits in it securely.

Get your tree wrapped in netting to help transport it home. Do not leave the tree in netting for more than 24 hours when you bring it home. A good provider will remove the netting when they arrive and stand them to allow you to browse and ensure it is suits your needs.

Keep your tree cool. Keep it away from radiators or fireplaces – heat makes the tree age quicker and loose its needles.

Maintain your tree’s moisture. To keep your Christmas tree looking perfect, keep the water in your tree stand filled all the time. You may need to add water two or even three times the first few days.

Once you have followed these tips to picking out your perfect Christmas tree, all that’s left to do is decorate and enjoy your Christmas!

To enquire about our Christmas trees, contact us today.