Fraser Firs are known for withstanding heat and retaining their needles once a customer has set it up in the house. But if not cared for they will dry out, trunks will split and foliage will turn brown. How can you avoid all these problems.
Cool Springs Nursery does everything we can to deliver a fresh tree. We cut late. We get the tree baled and out of the field in a half hour and into our shaded loading area which is in a forest and we also put shade cloth over all the trees. We also keep the ground of the staging area very wet. We do not send out any damaged trees.
When the trees get to the customer how the trees are stored and displayed makes all the difference in the world. Number one rule is you can not store trees in direct sun with them baled up in heat over 45 degrees, the sun will turn the foliage brown so you must cover the tree with shade cloth or open the tree up, that is cut the strings and allow air to circulate around the foliage and cool it off.
The ultimate in tree care on the lot is carried out by Clayton’s Choose and Cut Tree Farm in Nashville Tenn. When the tree arrives they immediately cut a quarter of an inch off the tree and then stand all their trees up in a barn in about four inches of water. They have a cement floor and a six inch lip that retains the water in a pool where they place all the freshly cut trees. The trees rehydrate and stay fresh right through the selling season. NOTE: THEY HAVE NEVER HAD A FRASER TRUNK SPLIT BECAUSE THEY TAKE SUCH GOOD CARE OF THEIR TREES. On the other hand I have seen customes take poor care of their trees once they arrive and I have seen in very warm weather up to 30% of the trunks split especially on larger trees because of poor care.
So what should you do? Build a pool of water, about 1 square foot per tree using landscape boards that are about 5 inches high. Place them around the perimeter and then drap plastic(use a thick mil plastic) and then fill with water. If you do not have inside storage that is cool cover the trees with the lightest winter protection material that you can get(call us if you need a source). This cloth is so light that you can put it right over the tops of the trees. No structure is needed the tops will hold it up and then use string to tie it down.
In southern climates a tent should be used over the displayed trees and in more northern regions where temperatures stay 50 degrees and below less care is needed. But even then wind and sun will dry out a trees even in a cold climate and it is best to at least cover the trees with winter protection material if you can not cut and rehydrate with water when you receive the trees.
