It’s that
time of year. It’s already December and before you know it, Christmas with be
here. Decorating is a big part of the holiday. Many of you will go out this
weekend looking for that perfect tree. And what better place than Michigan?
A recent Michigan
State University Extension news article by Bert Cregg, MSU associate
professor in the departments of Horticulture and Forestry, and Jill
O’Donnell, senior Extension educator, says that Michigan’s climate and
soils allow our Christmas tree growers to produce a wider variety of trees than
almost any other state. Unfortunately, sometimes having many choices can cause
shoppers to become overwhelmed and confused.
Not to worry,
the article “Selecting
the Perfect Christmas Tree: Tree Types” will serve as a guide to help you
select the right tree for you and your family. Who doesn’t get annoyed when
fallen needles cover wrapped presents under the tree? This article lets you
know which trees have good needle retention. You may have furry friends that
just won’t leave the tree alone. Bert and Jill will let you know which tree
keeps pets at bay.
Included in
the article are photos of each tree species as well as videos that give details
about some of them.
Other helpful
and timely MSU Extension articles are “Picking
and Caring for the Perfect Christmas Tree” by Extension educator Erin
Lizotte and Jill, and “Keeping
Your Real Christmas Tree Fresh This Holiday Season” by Jill and Bert.
It’s great to
have this expertise available to us at the click of the mouse on our MSU
Extension website. And I’ve seen links to them on several social media sites in
Michigan and beyond. This is a great example of using the news articles on our
web site to get out information that people are seeking, and answering
questions from many more people than we would get just from telephone calls to
county Extension offices in the past.
In addition,
visit the Michigan Christmas Tree
Association website for information on where to buy trees as well as other
helpful tips.
