A few questions about a real tree.
- Thread starter sly13
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To stop and steal one on a busy turnpike and have a warning sign that would be as dumb as anyone could get I think!
hammercore
ArboristSite Lurker
the only concern i could see is forgetting to water it everyday since it'll be so warm, it'll probably drink alot. i've had real christmas trees my entire life (almost 28 yrs) and would probably go without a christmas rather than get a fake one. just my $0.02
firewood guy
ArboristSite Operative
Just to add to that thought.. as a nursery owner I would say no one should have a real CUT tree!! Bring one in a pot , make sure it is not too close to the fireplace/woodstove, keep it plenty watered ( I like to use a couple of trays of ice cubes everyday in the evening.) Also it doesn't hurt to spray the tree w/ a anti-transpirant. It locks in the moisture and prevents a lot of the needle drop. Then you can plant it in the ground when the the soil thaws! Plastic trees are for apartment owners!!
Erik B
ArboristSite Guru
lol yep, check with the farm owner first, i asked the guy if he minded first, he said no go ahead, so out came the 028, got a couple weird looks from other customers, i bet they stopped laughing when they had to kneel in a foot of snow with their handsaw for 5 mins sawing away
I took your advice and checked with the farm owner first and he had no problem with me bringing my 192T. I got my tree last weekend and it took no time at all to get it cut. It certainly beats the old bow saw. It is always a good idea to keep on the good side of those you do business with
jimbojango
ArboristSite Guru
No real tree's at my house... ever... never have been, my mom hates them because my grandparents cut a cedar tree down when she was a kid and used it. My wife isn't fond either. I cut the austrian pines in my back yard down just for spite awhile back. Hate pines, hate the scent, hate tree's in general but i sure like burning wood!
clinchscavalry
ArboristSite Operative
Fraser Fir from NC now standing proudly in our family room about 15 ft. from a fireplace. We have to keep the fire going so the water in the tree stand won't freeze :jawdrop: It was 46 deg. in our kitchen this morning in spite of a wood stove going both upstairs and downstairs. Of course, when our house was built in the late 30s, no one knew about subfloors or insulation.
Yep, we even had snow flurries here in central GA yesterday, the dry, powdered kind that the skiers love.
When we take the tree down before New Year's Day, we haul it out to the woods and place it for rabbitat. It's amazing how long it stays green just lying on the ground, and it does make great cover for various wildlife. If you have a fish pond chunk it in there, and the fish will love it too.
Merry Christmas, and I'll be dead before an artificial tree is put in my house.
Yep, we even had snow flurries here in central GA yesterday, the dry, powdered kind that the skiers love.
When we take the tree down before New Year's Day, we haul it out to the woods and place it for rabbitat. It's amazing how long it stays green just lying on the ground, and it does make great cover for various wildlife. If you have a fish pond chunk it in there, and the fish will love it too.
Merry Christmas, and I'll be dead before an artificial tree is put in my house.
Vibes
Addicted to ArboristSite
not meaning to hijack, but some scumbag last year stole a big spruce from my neighbors front yard,
My dads freind used to have that problem, he would spray his trees with skunk and fox pizza and people would still take them. I could see the look on some drunks eyes when he woke up Christmas morning and one of those trees thawed out.
Back too the OP's original topic. I can't see a real tree being anymore of a fire hazard than some plastic tree thats been drying out in a box in the attic for years. Buy one of those large bags for under the tree when you take it outside after new years. I always found thats when most of the needeles fell of of ours.
My dads freind used to have that problem, he would spray his trees with skunk and fox pizza and people would still take them. I could see the look on some drunks eyes when he woke up Christmas morning and one of those trees thawed out.
Back too the OP's original topic. I can't see a real tree being anymore of a fire hazard than some plastic tree thats been drying out in a box in the attic for years. Buy one of those large bags for under the tree when you take it outside after new years. I always found thats when most of the needeles fell of of ours.
lngbeard
ArboristSite Lurker
This is what we have done for many years. Wife wraps the pot like a Christmas present. The tree will think it is spring and sprout new growth if left inside too long. This happens to us more often than not. When we move them back outside the new growth will die. Once planted they usually don't do much first spring/summer but second year they take off. I have former Christmas trees in the yard that are 30 feet tall. Live trees don't cost any more than cut ones either.
clinchscavalry
ArboristSite Operative
Try to remember, cutting and using a real Christmas tree is not wasteful or environmentally unfriendly. Trees are renewable resources, and a large number of Christmas tree farmers and their employees, families, etc. depend on the industry for their livelihood.
greengiant
ArboristSite Operative
I used to work at a tree farm in central, PA when I was in school. Sold 75% fraser fir.
Real, cut tree here. Mine is only a 4' tree on top of the end table to keep the kids, cat, and dog away. It is about 3' from the wood insert that is running 24/7 right now (8 degrees currently). For a small tree it is sucking up about 32oz of water a day. Fraser Fir is one of the best trees there is. Keeps needles forever, even if you don't water it for 2 weeks.
I got it for $10 because the deer ate the bottom 5' off a 9' tree, and the grower was happy to have me take the top. I use one of these when I'm just cutting one tree for xmas: http://www.felcostore.com/order/f600?referer=saws It is a lot easier to drag out there than a real saw.
On a side note, Mythbusters tried to get a tree to light on fire by putting 2,500 lights on it. I can't find the video, but here's the synopsis:
"After rigging a tinder-dry Christmas tree with 2500 C9 Christmas lights (for a total of 17.5 kW) and waiting for at least 40 minutes, the MythBusters were unable to get the tree to ignite by itself. Instead, they used an artificially created spark (simulating a short circuit) to set the tree on fire. Though the myth was busted, Adam and Jamie noted how quickly the tree caught on fire once it was ignited, warning viewers to be careful around their Christmas trees. Also, Adam and Jamie proved that you can overload a single extension cord with too many lights and making it short, which they theorize is the primary reason for Christmas tree fires."
Bottom line is, always be smart about what is near the stove, but for your tree to catch fire it would need sparks flying out of a fireplace or a stove with a door open.
Real, cut tree here. Mine is only a 4' tree on top of the end table to keep the kids, cat, and dog away. It is about 3' from the wood insert that is running 24/7 right now (8 degrees currently). For a small tree it is sucking up about 32oz of water a day. Fraser Fir is one of the best trees there is. Keeps needles forever, even if you don't water it for 2 weeks.
I got it for $10 because the deer ate the bottom 5' off a 9' tree, and the grower was happy to have me take the top. I use one of these when I'm just cutting one tree for xmas: http://www.felcostore.com/order/f600?referer=saws It is a lot easier to drag out there than a real saw.
On a side note, Mythbusters tried to get a tree to light on fire by putting 2,500 lights on it. I can't find the video, but here's the synopsis:
"After rigging a tinder-dry Christmas tree with 2500 C9 Christmas lights (for a total of 17.5 kW) and waiting for at least 40 minutes, the MythBusters were unable to get the tree to ignite by itself. Instead, they used an artificially created spark (simulating a short circuit) to set the tree on fire. Though the myth was busted, Adam and Jamie noted how quickly the tree caught on fire once it was ignited, warning viewers to be careful around their Christmas trees. Also, Adam and Jamie proved that you can overload a single extension cord with too many lights and making it short, which they theorize is the primary reason for Christmas tree fires."
Bottom line is, always be smart about what is near the stove, but for your tree to catch fire it would need sparks flying out of a fireplace or a stove with a door open.
