Delaware farmers offer fresh, local Christmas trees

More than 30 Delaware farmers have Christmas trees available this holiday season, with firs, spruces and pines in abundance - and easy to find and buy with the Delaware Fresh mobile app. The app and a related website, de.gov/christmastrees, feature locations, hours and other shopping information.

“It’s great family fun to pick out just the right locally grown tree for your house,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “Buying from a Delaware farm is a guarantee to get the freshest tree and support our local tree farmers at the same time.”

Growing Christmas trees is a specialized business in Delaware, with growers selecting particular varieties for attractiveness or other features. It typically takes seven to 10 years to grow a thriving 7-foot-tall First State Christmas tree. This is the busiest time of year for Delaware’s Christmas tree farmers, Kee said, but they work year-round to care for their trees.

The Delaware Fresh app is available free for download on Android, iPhone and Windows 8 phone platforms at delaware.gov/apps/.

To pick the right tree, examine it carefully, looking out for proper shape and size; test for freshness by bending needles to check resilience or by feeling the bottom of the trunk to check for sap or moisture.

Once home, keep cut trees in a cool, shaded area until ready to set up. Before putting a tree in its stand, cut an inch or two off the bottom. After the tree is in the stand, check water level two hours after setting up and daily after that.