December 2007
~ January 2008

Dare I mention the 'C' word? Well, it is that time of year when we need to consider buying our Christmas tree to get us into the festive mood. I received telephone calls from the suppliers early this year to warn me of a shortage and to order early. At first I thought it was a sales pitch from the suppliers but there really is a shortage in cut Christmas trees again this year, hence the prices have increased.

The main reasons for this are the following; the small Danish growers stopped planting when the EU grant was removed. Other growers are working harder to produce a better quality tree that increases their production costs and reduces the availability of lower quality trees. Finally, the inevitable fuel and labour costs have increased. Therefore all I can say is that you should probably buy your tree earlier rather than last minute to guarantee that you get the shape and size that you require.

You don't need to put it up in the house early, as it can be stored in a cool, shady place in a bucket of water to keep it fresh until it is moved indoors.

The types of Christmas trees that are readily available are the following; Nordman fir (Abies nordmanniania) - this tree has light green leaves that are softer to the touch than the traditional spruce. It has become the most popular cut Christmas tree in recent years because of the capacity to retain its needles for many weeks. People often refer to them as the 'Reduced Needle Drop Trees'. Prices range from £22.50 for a 3-4ft cut tree up to £40.00 for a 7-8ft size.

Norway sprue (Picea abies) is the one usually referred to as the 'Traditional' Christmas tree. It has pointed, green needles and is the second best seller in Britain. This type of tree gives the room a traditional pine smell but the needles tend to drop off in handfuls after being in the house for a while. Prices range from £15-00 for a 3-5ft cut tree up to £25.00 for a 5-7ft size. Other varieties that may be available for sale are; Scots pine, Noble fir, and blue spruce. These more unusual varieties tend to cost much more and it would probably be better buying a container grown tree that could then be planted out in the garden. Trees should be available from the week commencing 3rd December.

A cut Christmas tree will need regular watering if it is to last throughout the festive season.

To enable your Christmas tree to take up water, cut off the bottom 1cm of the main trunk after you have got it home. Stand it in a bucket of water outside in a cool but sheltered place and keep the water topped up. Once it has been brought inside, try and use a stand or bucket that will retain water. Position it away from sources of heat like radiators and fires and keep the water level topped up at all times.

Freshly cut Christmas trees are classed as garden or green waste by local authorities and can be recycled at all household waste recycling centres. Often the local councils offer a collection date for recycling so watch out for information in your area.

Don't forget to prepare your garden for the winter. Cut back any long branches on roses, shrubs and trees that may blow around in the strong winds and get damaged. A light pruning now would help to reduce any major damage later. If it snows, remember to knock off the snow from the top of conifers and topiary plants. If the snow is left on the plants then the branches may break or bend to cause the plant to be misshaped.

As well as planting up your bare-rooted hedges and trees, it is the right time of year to work on your fruit garden. Raspberry canes and soft fruit bushes are available at this time of the year so plant early to get the varieties that you require. This year there has been good sales on fruit trees and the growers are getting low on stock so plant now to avoid disappointment.

Plants with winter interest include Primus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis' , (above) one of best trees to achieve flowers throughout the cold weather. It is available in white and pink semi-double flowers. Cotoneaster x 'Cor-nubia" in tree form provides a good show of long-lasting berries.

Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' has orange-red winter stems providing an attractive show. This variety also provides a fantastic display of fiery autumn foliage. Mahonia x media 'Charity' is an evergreen shrub which will tolerate shade. It has yellow racemes of fragrant flowers.

Skimmia japonica 'Rubella' (above right) is an evergreen plant that carries large clouds of red buds all winter. These open into white flowers in spring. They are good for planting in containers filled with ericaceous compost (itself an excellent Christmas present!). Viburnum tinus is one of the best winter-flowering shrubs with dark green leaves and fragrant pink-white flowers. The cultivar 'Eve Price' is a more compact form of Viburnum tinus. Bergenia cordifolia, or elephant's ears (three up above), provides a glowing red colour from their large, leathery leaves. Pink or white spring flowers appear from the different cultivars.Heuchera varieties (left) such as 'Purple Palace' give a splash of purple foliage during the winter months.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Contacts
The regular "Gardening Pointers" features for Oxygen Magazine are written and researched by Cat Wilkins.

If you have a comment, or would like to make a suggestion for possible future topics, please feel free to email her by clicking on this link: Cat Wilkins