Christmas tree farms give advice for picking the perfect Christmas tree

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – At local Christmas tree farms, picking the perfect tree is like science.

With so many options, you want to ensure you select the best one for the family. We spoke to the experts, and here are some tips on picking the perfect tree.

Step one: Look for the tree with the perfect shape

“Some people like a broader bottom, some people like a more slim or narrow tree,” said Roberts Christmas Tree Farm, the field manager Christopher Michael Roberts.

Step two: Look for the healthiest tree

“They should look for overall appearance. If a tree is healthy it looks healthy,” said Donald Watson, owner of Sandy Creek Christmas Tree Farm.

Watson says you can tell by the tree’s foliage or leaves if it is healthy. He says if the foliage is green and strong that’s a keeper. If not keep on looking. 

“If the foliage looks terrible you must get rid of the tree,” said Watson.  

Watson says he sells three types of Christmas trees on his farm.

• Carolina Sapphire, a blue-ish colored tree
• Green Giant, mostly used for landscaping
• And his bestseller,  the Leyland Cypress tree

Over in Bryon at Roberts Christmas Tree Farms, the field manager Christopher Michael Roberts says they have several trees which include the blue ice Christmas tree, silver smoke, Murray Cypress, and like Sandy Creek the Leyland Cypress.

“It doesn’t shed ever,” said Watson. 

Both men say Leyland is perfect for people with allergies because it doesn’t have pollen.

Your tree needs a gallon of water every night to stay healthy, according to experts.

“I put that entire jug in my water stand each night to ensure that it never runs dry,” said Roberts. 

Robert’s Christmas Tree Farm says if your tree is near a heater vent or fireplace you may need to add water here and there throughout the day. 

Watson says a fresh cut tree will drink a lot of water in the first three days. 

“You need to keep water in there above the bottom of the tree because at the bottom is a skin-type layer inside the bark called Camden layer and that is the way the tree drinks the water,” said Watson.  

Both tree farms say you should get rid of a Christmas tree when it starts to change color, or foliage dies.