Good for you, I think you're doing the best service you know how to make up for it! Sometimes you just gotta "do something, even if it's wrong". Do you buy your trees from an "organic" grower, or have you asked who ever you do buy from if they spray their trees? If not, you could take it a step further and support a grower that doesn't spray (I guess the lack of spraying may not be because they're consciously growing organic, but because of whatever other reason, cost probably). There's an option that has been available for some time, that is kind of a boom this year, showing up in all my magazines and such. Buying a "living" tree that can be planted out after the holidays. Requires some planning in the colder zones. In one article I just read yesterday, they suggested asking the grower if they would re-plant it if you donated it back to them, or to donate to an organization like a church or community center that may have more room to plant it. Then there's thinking about how much a tree costs in a garden center...

I'm struggling with the decision to get a tree this year as well. My boyfriend of three years asked me why we've never gotten our own Christmas tree, and it's spurred me to consider getting one this year. The thing is, we don't celebrate Christmas at our house, we go to each of our sister's places. I may look into finding a grower here who sells to the public, and how much a living tree would cost me. I don't know...

I live about a mile or two from a tree farm, and I consider buying my Christmas tree from them as supporting local agriculture.

Actually, there are two tree farms within that distance. One is a large, family-owned operation which is quite successful, and the farmer is extremely active in farming issues in the state. I often see license plates from NY because people come from that far to buy their trees here.

The second farm is smaller, and we often buy our tree from the smaller farm - again, to support the local agriculture.

Every year after Christmas there is a HUGE pile of woodchips on the edge of the larger farm's property. I always mean to inquire as to whether these are available to the public or if the farm uses them for themselves. Maybe this year I'll finally get around to it!

Dee

Forgot to mention - there is a thread on the New England forum about buying living Christmas trees. It does have some local aspects - i.e. where to buy in the area - but also has some general info on care and aftercare.

:)
Dee

I support this church because every year they hire the homeless to help out in the sale. There is always a good feeling there of charity and helping out. I am well aware that the trees are not local. I've never asked about whether they are sprayed, organic or anything else. I didn't know they had to spray those type of evergreens.

There is no such thing as being able to plant a live Christmas tree where I live in FL. It would perish in our weather. For the same reason, there are no locally grown trees that would simulate Christmas trees. You'd have to buy a palm tree. I'm not there yet. I would do locally grown or live tree if that was a choice. I feel bad that we do still crave a cut tree every year for tradition's sake, knowing it was trucked in from up north. Recycling them is the only thing I know to try to make up for it.

Oh gee - lol! Sorry, annafl, I never even looked to see where you were posting from! I don't blame you. I don't think I'd be ready for a palm tree for Christmas either!

I wouldn't worry too much about feeling guilty for wanting a Christmas tree. I could be wrong, but I would think that many of the trees that are sold are grown specifically for this purpose and are harvested at a tree farm. And using the chips from the tree is definitely putting it to good use afterwards.

And if you are supporting a charitable operation on top of it, then that is good too. I'd say, enjoy your tree, and then enjoy it's benefit afterwards in your garden, with a clear conscience!

:)
Dee

j nail, will rosemary grow in your area?

The garden centers always have rosemary plants trimmed into Christmas tree shapes.

They're usually about 18" tall, easy to handle, have a better chance of making it through the holidays & surviving transplant, & if you don't have room to plant it later, you can *always* find a gardener who needs one.

Oh annafl!!! I didn't look at your location at all either!!! Sorry! Well, I still feel like you're doing a great thing, especially now that I'm paying attention to the whole picture! I'm in agreement with Dee here.

As far as spraying goes, I've never really thought about it either (then again, I've never bought one) until I saw it mentioned in these magazine articles. Now that I am thinking about it and based on my limited experience at Pest and Disease Management (from the class I'm taking right now--last week of classes, then finals WOO-HOO!!!) I'm sure there's a number of things that could cause growers problems. What the growers choose to do is a totally different story and I can't really say anything on the subject without really researching it.

sylviatx: What a fabulous idea! It wouldn't take up the space in my small house either!!! Technically not hardy here, but with our mild winters lately, I could try a protected spot in my yard. I could always use some to bake up some Rosemary Bread or something to go with my x-mas gifts of house plants...hmmmm...then I'm sure I'd find something suitable to do with it after the season.

My city has an excellent Christmas tree recycling program. They use the trees every year to grind up and make huge bio-filters for the city compost facility (the previous years bio-filter gets added to the recycle heap). The bio-filters naturally reduce any odors, and since neighborhoods have sprung up all around it, reducing odors also reduces complaints.

Here's a link (you have to click on the Compost Factory slide show), it's fascinating.

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Factory

My city asks people to bring their Christmas trees to the neighborhood parks every year and chips them for free. We can take home as much wood chips as we can carry. They smell wonderful in the garden.

We are on our third load of Christmas tree mulch. The first one was 27 wheelbarrowfulls, the second 35, and this one looks like it will top 40. He promises one more load if we can use it. I think we can, I think we can.... if my DH's back holds out. Great stuff. Smells wonderful around here.

Anna