Christmas is just under two weeks away, so if you haven't picked out a tree yet, the clock is ticking.
We asked David Wees from the plant science department of McGill University for some tips on what to look for:
- Pay close attention to colour; the darker the better.
- The needles tell you almost all you need to know – if the needles are snapping or bending, that means it’s not as fresh. They should spring back.
- Just because you buy a tree today doesn’t mean it wasn’t cut three weeks ago, so the timing of buying one matters less than how fresh it looks.
- Weather does have an impact. Cold and humid is better than warm weather, like we’ve been having.
After you buy it:
- It’s always a good idea to slice off a small piece of the trunk, added Wees. “You get a fresh wound. When the wood is fresh, it'll absorb water faster when you've put your Christmas tree into a bucket of water,” he said.
Wees has much more information about Christmas trees in the extended interview above.
