December is here .In spite of the parameters surrounding COVID-19 and staying safe, a positive and safe activity is decorating your home for the holiday season. I am happy to say that once again my favourite Master Gardener, Leo Mareschal, selling locally grown trees in Saskatoon. Leo and Ray Gaudet of Gaudet Tree Farm Welcome to Gaudet Trees (treesrus.ca), which is located close to Prince Albert have partnered for more 30 years to bring us some great quality Christmas trees to grace our homes during the holiday season.
The customer base of Gaudet Trees includes non-profit organizations and small businesses across Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta and even into the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Remember that especially now with all the extra challenges of COVID-19, patronizing small businesses will strengthen your communities and help keep local businesses open. If you are interested in picking up a tree here in Saskatoon, then stop by 201 - 33rd St. W., behind the location where Mayfair Hardware was located for so many years.
There is a whole industry that revolves around the production of trees for Christmas. All prairie Christmas trees are grown on family farms and are an important part of their business. This is a great option for not only do you purchase the freshest tree possible but there are still some locations where you can venture out to the farm to choose and cut a tree, providing an outing that will make great memories.
Did you know that it takes seven to 14 years for a tree to reach marketable size? Ray Gaudet shared with me that here, a tree needs to grow to four or five feet before they really get growing and put on a foot of growth per year. It takes about 10 years to grow a tree from seed to about chest heigh. During that time, extensive labour goes into the growth of each and every tree. Ray says that in order to grow a quality Christmas tree you need to touch each and every tree every year. Along with the regular care that goes into growing any plant, it is also necessary to do pruning and shaping to ensure you will get the perfect tree to grace your home over the holidays. Furthermore, choosing to have a real Christmas tree is not a negative thing. It is an opportunity for you to be involved in a truly sustainable industry. While the tree is growing, it will cycle carbon dioxide to oxygen as do all green plants. The trees are biodegradable and once the holiday season is over, your tree can be recycled and become essential organic matter.
For those of you who have never experienced a freshly cut Christmas tree, make this year the year to treat yourself and your housemates or family. Freshly harvested trees do not shed needles. They emit a lovely scent that permeates the entire house. When purchasing a tree, try to find a lot that uses local trees as they are generally fresher. When selecting your tree, simply cut a fresh two centimetres off the base of the tree and ensure while in the stand it is constantly covered with fresh water. Please note that no other additives other than water are required to keep your tree nice and fresh. For the first fill of water, ensure it is hot to ensure the sap is warmed sufficiently to allow that water to flow up and throughout the tree. Also, as long as the tree is kept in water it is not a fire hazard and can last an extremely long time before becoming dry. When it does become time to move the tree out, I like to use it as a lovely bird feeder/house for our fine-feathered friends. In spring, it is chipped and becomes garden mulch.
We are celebrating December so watch the next couple of articles for more on Christmas trees and the industry that produces them!
Hanbidge is the lead horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by
