Wreaths for the Holidays

By Master Gardener Amy Weis

Every December when my family makes its annual trek to the local Christmas tree farms to pick out our tree, I usually wander around looking at the wreaths. A local, handmade wreath not only smells great, but also last a long time. I usually take mine down around March.

The use of evergreens predates Christianity. Ancient Persians used evergreens for victory crowns. The Greeks made laurel wreaths as awards for Olympic athletes as far back as 776 BC.  In ancient Rome, military heroes wore evergreen crowns.

Ancient Germanic people used evergreens as a symbol of life and survival during their Winter Solstice celebrations. The evergreen was a reminder of life and renewal.

Today we enjoy the wonderful scent and symbolism of evergreen wreaths around the holidays.  And, more people are discovering the benefits of locally made, fresh evergreen wreaths made at nearby Christmas tree farms. 

This year I set out to find out a little more about the local craft of   fresh Christmas wreath making. I decided to start by checking the PA Christmas Tree Grower’s web site for its 2013 Pennsylvania wreath winners. My first stop was with first place winner, for the undecorated category, Ruth Sitko, of Sitko Christmas Tree Farm in Pottstown, PA.

Ruth explained that an award-winning wreath is typically made from high quality, fresh, healthy evergreens (partially determined by number of needles per branch) and that symmetry and proportion are also very important.

There are several different methods of making an evergreen wreath. Ruth uses a clamp machine and a form. She gathers small evergreen boughs and clamps them to the form. She then puts wire hooks on the back of the form and decorates with a bow, berries, pine cones or other season appropriate items.   Her wreath turned out perfectly symmetrical with a full, lush look. I can only say mine looked “rustic”.

There are other methods of wreath making as well. Most of them utilize a wire wreath frame.  Typically small (approximately 6 inch) pieces of evergreen branches are wired together, usually three to a bunch. Then the bunch is wired to the form. These steps are continued until the form is completely filled out. It is important that the needles be faced in the same direction.  Several of the farms had wreaths made from multiple types of evergreens.  These wreaths tended to look a little more informal. They may have included boxwood, pine, arborvitae, blueberries juniper, holly or Frasier fir. Some even added a pinch of rosemary for added aroma.

It’s fun knowing that the beautiful wreath now hanging on my front door was made at a local farm and should easily outlast the cold and snow!

Support Your Farmer:

Sitko Farms is a three generation Christmas tree farm located in Pottstown.  They offer choose-and-cut for scotch pine, douglas fir, balsam fir, and concolor fir. They also offer precuts for scotch pine, douglas fir, balsam fir, and fraser fir, as well as a great selection of custom wreaths and other decorations..

O Tannenbaum - Going to the Farm

By Master Gardener Susan Kowalchuk

One off my favorite Christmas holiday traditions is going to a Christmas tree farm and choosing a tree. In addition to the beauty of having a fresh aromatic tree in our home, these trips to the farms have provided our family with many holiday memories.  The month of December can get pretty frenetic. The trip to select a tree is a respite, and depending on what farm you go to, a mini outdoor family adventure, which ends with a sense of accomplishment and hopefully a large cup of hot chocolate.

According to the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Association, there are over 1,200 Christmas tree farms, producing at least 1.2 million cut trees a year on 35,000 acres. There are many different types of evergreen trees to choose from. The following is a list of trees most commonly found on Pennsylvania Christmas tree farms:

Balsam Fir – this was the first plantation grown tree in the Northeast. It is a fragrant tree with short needles with a blueish/silver cast.  It has good needle retention, making a great choice for those who like to put their tree up in November. A variety of the balsam is the canann.

Douglas Fir  - soft, delicate blue/green needles with flexible branches.  It has good needle retention.

Concolor Fir – long soft neeedles that have a silver/blue hue. Branches have a delicate/airy appearance.  This evergreen gives off a citrusy scent and has good needle retention. It is also known as a white fir.

Fraser Fir  - short, dark green stiff needles. The tree has a pyramidal shape, with branches growing upward, giving it a more formal/traditional  appearance.

Colorado Blue Spruce – this tree has a distinctive appearance, with short, three-sided dark green/blue needles and stiff branches. Its strong branches make it a good choice if you have heavy ornaments.

Eastern White Pine-  has large, soft, blue/green needles.  Tree has a good fragrance, excellent needle retention, and an airy, more informal appearance.

Norway Spruce – is dark green with a conical shape. Needles are 4-sided and point forward. The branches are strong and hang down in a pendulous fashion.  Compared to other evergreens, needle retention is poor. Nonetheless, the Norway Spruce is often chosen for the White House and Rockefeller Center.  

   
The type of experiences available at Christmas tree farms can vary; hayrides, cut and haul your own, pick a tree and have them cut and haul it to the car for you, acres devoted to several types of trees in the country, smaller farms in less rural areas, shops that have ornaments, wreaths, food, the list goes on and on.  Decide what you would like for your family tradition and call ahead to see what types of trees and experiences the farm offers.  

Once your bring your tree home, it is recommended that you cut no more than one inch from the trunk and place it in a stand that holds at least a gallon of plain water. You shouldn’t place your tree next to a heat source and use only indoor lights on the tree. Don’t forget to turn off the lights before leaving home or going to sleep!

Support Your Farmer: 

http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/PAxmastrees.php - link to Christmas Tree Farms, hayrides, tree lots and other related activities in your area

www.christmastrees.org - Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association –  another resource for farms within driving distance of your home.  It also offers information on other types of evergreens.

http://www.realchristmastrees.org - National Christmas Tree Growers Association