It’s that time of year again when you find yourself venturing out to the nearest nursery or tree farm, only to find yourself in the same situation as you were last year and the year before. You spend hours and, possibly, days hunting for that perfect tree.
Well, we’ve got you covered with the best places around town and a few tips and tricks on making your annual tradition a little more festive and a lot less frustrating.
The first step is figuring out what you want your tree to look like. Look at the overall shape from top to bottom. Some people like larger bottoms while others prefer a pointier top. Once you’ve decided on the shape, the next step is deciding what type of tree. Two of the most common trees found in the area are the Douglas fir trees and Fraser fir trees.
If you’re looking for a pre-cut tree, head over to Mostardi Nursery in Newtown Square. At Mostardi’s, they carry a large selection of Douglas Fir and Fraser Fir trees. Pick your perfect tree, and Mostardi’s will give it a fresh cut at the base, wrap it and help secure it to your vehicle. Fresh cuts help trees live longer as it absorbs more water.
To keep your tree healthy through the holiday season, it’s recommended that it be stored in a container with at least one gallon of water. At Christmastime, Linvilla Orchards, located in Media, transforms into a festive wonderland for Christmas Around the Farm. During the holiday season, the Garden Center becomes a spectacular Winter Wonderland, featuring Santa and his elves, handmade wreaths, greens and holly and a sea of poinsettias. Make Christmas Around the Farm a fun family holiday tradition by cutting your own Christmas Tree! Take your whole family on a hayride to their Christmas tree fields to select your tree. The majority are 5′ to 7′ Douglas Fir. Once you cut your own tree down (Linvilla will supply the saw), they will haul it back for you, shake it, rope it up and even tie it to your car. Then, after your hayride back from the f ields, enjoy a campfire where you can roast marshmallows.
Pre-Cut Christmas Trees are also available in all shapes, sizes and varieties at Linvilla Orchards’ Christmas Shop and Garden Center. You’ll also find greens, roping, wreaths and all of the trimmings. They strive to carry tree varieties including Canaan Fir, Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Blue Spruce, Victorian Douglas Fir, Victorian Fraser and Nordmann Fir.
Another local tree farm offering visitors a memorable holiday experience is Arasapha Farm in Glen Mills. Choose from thousands of beautiful fresh cut and cut your own Christmas trees including Fraser fir, Douglas fir, Norway spruce and Blue spruce. Delivery and setup are available. They also have a great selection of wreaths and roping. Take a hayride to their Christmas tree forest and enjoy some sweet treats when you’re done.
Arasapha Farm will be open for cut-your-own Christmas trees beginning Saturday, November 22nd, and then every Saturday and Sunday from 9am–5pm. Pre-cut Christmas tree sales will be open weekdays from 3pm–8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am–8pm.
Choose your tree depending on what you would like to accomplish. Both are beautiful looking, but Frasers have heavier branches that are good for supporting ornaments and decorations. And if you’re looking for that sweet scent that evergreens give off, you’ll be happy to know that both the trees will have that smell. Both Douglas and Fraser trees have fairly good needle retention too, which is good news for the tree clean-up crew after the holidays.
To determine if a tree is healthy, the experts recommend running your hand through the branches to see if many needles fall off. Although it’s normal for a few to fall, a handful of needles should indicate that it’s not the tree you want. For those who are looking for easy maintenance and no clean-up process after the holidays, the potted Dwarf Alberta Spruce evergreens will do the trick. They can grow up to six or eight feet, but the growth process is slow.
When the hustle and bustle of the holiday season comes to an end and it’s time to take your tree down, remember that our local townships are there to help. Simply place your tree at the top of your driveway and it will be picked up, chipped and the wood chips recycled by using them throughout the township parks and trail system. Please make sure that your trees are completely free of all bags, tinsel and ornaments. If you live on a private road or in a community with a Home Owners Association, ask if you and your neighbors can make arrangements with the township to establish a drop-off location where all your trees can be placed for pick up.