Facts About Christmas Trees

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=145 BGCOLOR="#3366CC" TEXT="#080000" background="040ff483.png"> <div> <IMG SRC="0657fa90.jpg" border=0 width="127" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><B>About Us</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Products and Services"><U><B>Our Products and Services</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Brief History of Christmas Trees"><U><B>Brief History of Christmas Trees</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Common Questions"><U><B>Common Questions</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Facts About Christmas Trees</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="041ff483.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#6666FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Jensen Trees</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#663399" FACE="Times New Roman" >   </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#663399" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT> |    <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jensen Trees"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="042f0050.png" border=0 width="496" height="5" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Facts About Christmas Trees</div> <bR> <bR> <div> PICKING OUT A FRESH TREE and KEEPING IT FRESH</div> <bR> <div> If you slide your hand "against the grain" down a branch; very few needles should come off.</div> <bR> <div> If your tree gets shaken to remove old needles only the brown ones should come out and not many of the fresh green ones, however if the temperature outside has been way below freezing even the new, green needles and branches may become brittle and break off.  Also, these same needles should be pliable unless frozen.</div> <bR> <div> When selecting your tree to cut, if there is a spot of dead space it is usually due to the trees growing too close together.  This doesn't mean that the tree is dead, only those few branches, simply trim them off.</div> <bR> <div> Until you are ready to put your tree up it should be kept in a cool, sheltered area, out of the wind and sun.  Garages are suitable as long as they are unheated, however outside on the north side of a structure is often very good.  If the tree is to be kept in a location that is above freezing make a fresh cut on the trunk and keep it in a pail of water.</div> <bR> <div> Whether a tree is pre-harvested, or you harvest it yourself the cut on the trunk is only good for about 2 hours and then it will be sealed over.  So, unless you harvest your own tree and put it right up, always make a fresh cut prior to putting up your Christmas tree.  Here are a couple of helpful hints:</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f0cc000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Saw off about 1 inch from the trunk horizontally.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f0cc000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Scrape a little bark off around the base, making sure to not scrape through to the old wood.  Make sure that the exposed wood will be kept under water, this will aid your Christmas tree in absorbing water.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f0cc000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The first stand full of water should be very hot, even boiling water.  You may repeat this step if your tree ever "seals over" with sap, and it may begin to take water again.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f0cc000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">We have never used any additives to the water, but others will offer several suggestions.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f0cc000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Always check your Christmas tree at least twice a day making sure the stand is full of water.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> HOW CHRISTMAS TREES EFFECT OUR WORLD</div> <bR> <div> Although many factors are involved in growing a Christmas tree, it takes approximately 6 to 10 years for a Christmas tree to reach average height.</div> <bR> <div> There are about 12,000 "choose and harvest" tree farms in the United States.</div> <bR> <div> North American Real Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states, Canada and Mexico.  Most artificial trees are manufactured in Korea, Taiwan, or Hong Kong.</div> <bR> <div> Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource.  Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and metals.</div> <bR> <div> At Jensen Trees we plant a new tree each spring for each tree harvested, and nation wide approximately 50 million new trees are planted annually.</div> <bR> <div> Nationally there are about 1 million acres in production for growing Christmas trees, each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.</div> <bR> <div> There are about 15,000 Christmas tree growers in North America and over 100,000 people are employed full or part-time in the industry.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>