Episode: #13 9/12/06
Presenter: Melissa King

For me nothing says Christmas like the smell of fresh pine needles. You can always pick up a cut Christmas tree from our local nursery or the side of the road, but why not make it an experience and get one from a tree farm.

The Christmas Tree haven on Stumpy Gully Road in Moorooduc has been owned and run by the McClellan family for over 20 years. Every holiday season hundreds of families start their Christmas right there, by choosing their own tree.

The trees are all Monterey Pines (Pinus radiata) which are grown for their distinctive pine smell. It takes 4 years of nurturing to get a trees to the size which is perfect for harvesting. The trees are sheared twice a year in autumn and spring to get that classic Christmas tree shape. They are also wrapped for the journey home.

Cutting your own Christmas tree is a real adventure. When you buy it at a farm you know it is fresh, but if you are buying a cut tree then there are a few things to look for. Test for freshness by gently bending a needle - it should bend rather than break. Another hint is to drop the stump of the tree on the ground, give the tree a shake and if 100's of green needles drop off, then the tree may not be as fresh as it could be.

When you bring your tree home there is a few things you can do to make sure it is still radiant on the big day. Just like a bunch of flowers, pine trees need water and they may drink between 1 to 4 litres of water per day, so make sure you check daily and supply fresh water as needed.

Another hint is to cut 2cm off the stump of your tree to open it up to absorbing water and put it onto a water stand

You just can?t beat the look and smell of a living tree. For every tree that?s harvested another two are planted and you can even bring your old tree back after Christmas to get mulched and recycled.

Melissa can?t think of a better way to start the festive season.

The Christmas Tree Farm
1680 Stumpy Gully rd
Moorooduc VIC 3933