When buying a Christmas tree, the main thing to remember is freshness. The needles should be resilient. Take hold of a branch and pull your hand toward you, allowing the needles to slip through your fingers. Most, if not all, of the needles, should stay on the Christmas tree. The precut trees we sell at Cross Timbers Christmas Tree Farm are No. 1 & Premium trees from northern Michigan, healthy and well shaped with heavy-dense foliage. These trees are based on the top U.S. Standards. They are freshly cut, cleaned, loaded in a truck and brought straight to our farm where they are kept covered and fresh.
Once you’ve selected your tree we will shake it to clean it of old or loose needles. We will cut off ½ to 1 inch of the base to open the pores so the tree can again begin to draw water up the trunk. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. But, get the tree into water as soon as possible. When you get home, if you’re not putting your tree up right away, place it in a bucket of water. (Note that you should always store real trees in an unheated garage or area that’s protected from wind and freezing temperatures.)
Keep water above base of tree. Freshly cut trees drink water very quickly. Your tree stand should have a large water reservoir. We sell a sturdy stand with a 10 quart container. For every inch of the trunk’s diameter, fill the stand with one quart of water. Check the tree’s water level morning and evening to keep the tree from drying out prematurely. Keep away from heat sources.
Cross Timbers Christmas Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch 