Christmas Trees

What are some good places to buy REAL Christmas trees?

I googled KY Christmas tree farms and I got a good number of sites to check out.

The tree lot at Ballard High School.....fresh frazier furs from North Carolina. We've been buying trees from these same folks for about 15 years. I recommend buying their stand as well....it's awesome and holds alot of water.

Hubers (Joe's brother's place) has good selection of u-cut and precut.
I've cut some nice trees at the place on Sleepy Hollow golf course, but they don't shake or wrap with twine (worth it if offered)
I saw some nice trees at Whole Foods, but didn't do a needle pull - anyone check these for freshness?
Ho, ho, ho!

[Robin Garr]

While we're at it, anyone have suggestions for sources of live Christmas trees, with a root ball so you can plant them after the holidays rather than just killing a tree on St. Nicholas Day and throwing it away on Epiphany?

While we're at it, anyone have suggestions for sources of live Christmas trees, with a root ball so you can plant them after the holidays rather than just killing a tree on St. Nicholas Day and throwing it away on Epiphany?

We used to do that down south. I'd like to start again here. Great question.

[Robin Garr]

While we're at it, anyone have suggestions for sources of live Christmas trees, with a root ball so you can plant them after the holidays rather than just killing a tree on St. Nicholas Day and throwing it away on Epiphany?

We used to do that down south. I'd like to start again here. Great question.

Now that I think about it, I imagine any local nursery like Wallitsch's or Thieneman's or Frank Otte, etc., would sell conifers for planting. But it would be fun if a Christmas-tree stand would do it.

While we're at it, anyone have suggestions for sources of live Christmas trees, with a root ball so you can plant them after the holidays rather than just killing a tree on St. Nicholas Day and throwing it away on Epiphany?

This type of thing works better in other climates. When you bring a tree in to the house it will break dormancy and want to start up as if it was spring. Then when planted outside it kind of shocks the plant and weakens it if not outright killing it. You can do it if you keep the tree in a unheated garage and only bring it in a few day before the holiday. Forced air furnaces are also pretty rough on them.

I checked out the fraizer firs at Whole Foods and they looked really fresh. They had some nice wreaths too.

I ended up getting a nice Frasier Fir at The Plant Kingdom on Westport Rd near the RR crossing. They keep theirs in water so they are fresh. Not cheap, but it's only once a year. I saw Robert Rollins of Greenhaven Tree Service there; he's my tree guy and very good. He said he always gets his xmas trees at the Plant Kingdom, that's high praise in my book.
http://www.plantkingdom.net
4101 Westport Rd, St Matthews, KY 40207
(502) 893-7333

Re the Ballard HS trees, I think they come from Booger Mountain. Their motto is "This Christmas, don't blow it, pick a Booger Mountain tree."

I ended up getting a nice Frasier Fir at The Plant Kingdom on Westport Rd near the RR crossing. They keep theirs in water so they are fresh. Not cheap, but it's only once a year. I saw Robert Rollins of Greenhaven Tree Service there; he's my tree guy and very good. He said he always gets his xmas trees at the Plant Kingdom, that's high praise in my book.
http://www.plantkingdom.net
4101 Westport Rd, St Matthews, KY 40207
(502) 893-7333

Re the Ballard HS trees, I think they come from Booger Mountain. Their motto is "This Christmas, don't blow it, pick a Booger Mountain tree."

Ward,

My family wholesales Christmas trees which they grow on a couple of thousand acres in Avery Co. N.C. and their standing recommendation is that no matter where (or when) you buy your tree always cut about an inch to an inch and a half off the bottom of the trunk. As soon as these trees are harvested (in N.C. that begins in mid-October) the sap begins to flow out of the cut, thus preventing the tree from properly absorbing any water you give it in the future. Another recommendation, and one I have used with apparent success over the years is to "feed" your tree a combination of water and (clear) soda pop...I've always used 7UP or Sprite. Sounds crazy but it sure helps keep a tree fresh longer.

At the risk of being accused of getting off topic, I am reminded of the years I harvested our Xmas tree fresh from the woods at our deer camp in northern MN...As a tax dodge my best friend had declared his farm a "tree farm" and over the years had planted literally thousands of Frasiers and Balsams. The days we went out to cut you could always count on some fresh snow to set the tone and we always managed to find some dandy trees. The home we lived in at the time had high vaulted ceilings and I recall several trees which literally scratched the ceiling...just reminiscing.