Cedar Grove's Garden Spot: Live Christmas Tree or Artificial?

Every year, consumers are faced with the dilemma of whether to purchase a real, live Christmas tree or an artificial tree that can be used year after year. While the convenience of pulling the tree down out of the attic each year and the money saved by paying once for a tree that may last five years or more can be tempting, the best choice for the environment and your health is a live tree, preferably cut down with a forest department permit or cut from an organic tree farm.

While they are growing, real Christmas trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and other gasses and emitting oxygen. The farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic greenbelts. Christmas trees are grown on soil that doesn’t support other crops.

Artificial trees are a petroleum-based product manufactured primarily in China-based factories. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the average family uses an artificial tree for six - nine years before throwing it away and it will remain in the landfill for centuries.

Real Christmas trees are renewable and biodegradable so they can easily be reused or recycled. Cedar Grove transforms live Christmas trees into compost for local residents to use in their gardens. And one has to admit, nothing beats the smell of a fresh Christmas tree on a winter day.

Want to really get your green on? Consider a living Christmas tree this year, and plant it once the holidays are over so it keeps on sucking up its share of carbon dioxide in the years to come. Choose a small, healthy, burlap-wrapped fir ($100-$150 from most nurseries), or consider alternative varieties, such as 2-foot rosemary bushes trimmed in the traditional Christmas tree shape ($17-$20), the perfect size for apartments with no room for a fully-grown cut tree. (and awesome

Look for trees that have been in their pots for a while, and avoid recently dug trees that may be under stress and won't appreciate being quickly moved indoors. Also, live trees can only stand being decked out in lights or near the fireplace for up to 10 days before being permanently damaged.

Swansons Nursery offer a wide selection of conventionally grown live firs (as well as a full range of cut trees) ranging from 2 feet to 7 feet, along with plenty of advice on how to care for a living tree.

If you decide to plant your living Christmas tree yourself, make sure you find the right spot. Most conifers require full sun and grow to a height of more than 150 feet. Seattle Tilth's Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline (info@lawnandgardenhotline.org) can give you great advice on proper transplanting techniques.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Artificial Tree vs. Real Tree: Pros and Cons (apartmenttherapy.com)