What are the best real Christmas trees?

If you have decided that this year you’re going to purchase a real Christmas tree and join the millions of people all over the UK that are going green for Christmas, you may be wondering – what are the best real Christmas trees?

Don’t worry, we have given you a complete ten-step guide to follow to decide which real Christmas tree is best for you!

How big do you want your tree?

The first thing on the list is how big you want the tree to be because if you want a tree over 5ft then you will likely need a cut Christmas tree. This is because pot-grown varieties are a little smaller with most supplied up to a height of 5ft.

If you want a tree larger than 5ft this Christmas, then opt for a cut Christmas tree.

What colour tree do you want?

This might sound silly, everyone wants a green tree right? Well, that isn’t always the case and there are “blue” varieties that are still green but have a blueish tinge. The blue variety trees are awesome looking when combined with white lights for a minimalist Christmas tree experience.

Thankfully, any tree you purchase will either have the colour in their name or it will be clearly marked in their description.

No-drop, low drop or onrmal?

Christmas trees have been purpose-grown and specially bred to try and remove the natural tendency they have to shed their pines and needles. The truth is, even a no drop tree will occasionally drop a needle and low-drop trees will need some light tidying/maintenance.

If you encounter a tree without the normal description be advised that this is probably a natural breed tree that will shed pines and needles readily. Moderate to heavy tidying is necessary with these trees so have your hoover at the ready.

Is your house a Christmas tree suited house?

A fresh cut real Christmas tree has about 6 weeks of life left before it will die. In warmer and drier conditions this remaining life could be shortened considerably. Do you have a particularly warm house or humidity problems? If so, try and have your tree delivered as close to Christmas as possible in order to ensure it sees out the festive season.

Of course, having a warm house doesn’t prevent you from having a real Christmas tree it just means you need that extra little bit of care when planning.

Do you want to keep your Christmas tree?

Did you know you can keep a pot grown tree for as long as you can keep it growing? If you want to buy a real tree but don’t want the hassle of buying a new one each year, a pot grown Christmas tree could be the solution you are looking for. Perfectly sized to last 3-4 Christmases (anymore and you might need a bigger house) and they can simply be moved into the garden as an ordinary tree then bought back in every Christmas. Remember, a tree will outgrow its pot after about 12 months so you will need to re-pot it at least once.

Disposal

The next thing to consider is that at the end of Christmas (unless you’re retaining your pot grown tree for further Christmases) is that you will need to dispose of your Christmas tree. For smaller 2ft to 3ft trees, this is as simple as either putting them intact in the compost bin or in the green waste bin for your local authority to collect and compost for you.

For larger trees, you may need to employ the use of an axe or saw to chop the tree up into compostable bits. It is best to think ahead about disposal especially when buying a larger tree because if you don’t have the space or tools to break them down they can be a pain to get rid of.

Decoration styles

You might have noticed in your search for the best tree that some trees are sparsely branched while others are positively bush-like. If you’re looking to decorate in a minimalist fashion a tree that falls in the middle of these extremes is better. That is because if you opt for a low branched tree you will find the tree looks bare when decorated.

Crowded branch trees are great for plenty of lights and baubles while low branched trees are great for filling out with tinsel.

All trees combine well with candy canes, chocolates and other goodies so don’t be stingy on the treats!

Cost

Let’s face it, a Christmas tree is another expense at an already expensive time of year. If you are money savvy, you can find a good pot-grown tree for a cheaper price than an artificial tree. And providing you start off small enough, that tree can easily last you as long as an artificial tree. Better still, a pot-grown tree won’t get worn or tatty like an artificial tree.

Storage space

If you are planning on buying your tree for a single Christmas then you can skip this point, but if you’re looking to retain a potted tree then storage will need to be a consideration. Potted trees do okay inside but due to the warmth and often drier atmosphere inside, they don’t thrive and sometimes die.

You will need to have adequate outside space to put your potted tree when it isn’t Christmas. Keeping a potted tree indoors for a prolonged period is difficult at best and people will wonder why you still have your Christmas tree up.

Delivery

The last thing to think about is your delivery date. If you’re buying a real Christmas tree the best way to do it is online and avoid the Christmas tree pop-up markets. The reason to avoid these is because if you have ever been to one you will know they are chaotic, busy and the trees get passed, thrown and trampled as people rummage looking for the “perfect tree”.