Real vs. Artificial: Choosing a Christmas Tree for Your Home

There really is nothing like having a fresh Christmas Tree in your home. The scent of a real tree creates an ambiance that sets the tone for the holiday season. There are also many practical reasons which make a real tree the better purchase over an artificial one.    

Environment & Economy

The farms that grow Christmas Trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies, and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts. Often, Christmas Trees are grown on soil that does not support other crops. 

Tree farms provide oxygen, diminish carbon dioxide, and create jobs. Artificial trees are mostly imported from overseas and often are made from metals and plastics. The plastic material, typically PVC, can be a potential source of hazardous lead or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. Many artificial trees are not standing the test of time and are being discarded on landfills in favor of newer models. 

Christmas trees provide jobs from the growers to the farm hands as well as in related industries such as transportation, equipment supply all the way down the chain to local tree lots.

Renewable & Recyclable 

Christmas Trees are grown on farms just like any other agricultural crop. To ensure a constant supply, growers plant one to three new seedlings for every tree they harvest. Real Christmas Trees are biodegradable, which means they are readily broken down into mulch or other earth-friendly products. 

Tradition & Our Homes

Our homes and traditions grounded us in 2020. Taking the family out to choose a fresh tree is a fantastic way to kick off your holiday season. Then to gather together to decorate a fresh tree helps to continue those holiday vibes.  

Did you know there are many health benefits associated with real Christmas Trees in the home?

Studies show that a real tree can decrease your chances of getting a cold or flu by boosting your immune system. They deodorize and purify the air in your home by absorbing toxins. UK studies go further and link them to improved mental health and reduced anxiety. 

The Gift of Giving

At Landscape Plus, 2019 marked the launch of online tree orders with an option for delivery. We noticed there were some customers who really appreciated the delivery aspect of this service. Christmas enthusiasts who loved the ambiance of a real tree but lacked the ability or resources to obtain one. The crew at Landscape Plus had unintentionally filled a void in Christmas Tree sales, happily delivering to people with mobility issues or without a vehicle to transport a tree.  

As we prepare for the 2020 holiday season, it’s no surprise many budgets have been cut and spirits are low. The elves at Landscape Plus are therefore calling on local support to help provide some Christmas spirit for a deserving recipient in our community. Click here to learn more.

We encourage you to act fast. Sales of real trees typically start in late November, and another shortage in supply will likely mean another sold-out year.

Thank you for your continued support and all the best to you and yours this holiday season.


 

SOURCES: Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association, Smithsonian Magazine, National Christmas Tree Association, Kansas State University

Landscape Plus has proudly served the Wheatland and Calgary area since 1992. 

Final Tips to Get Your Garden Ready for Winter

Alberta is an amazing province to live in but perhaps the biggest challenge is the weather and this Fall has lived up to our reputation for uncertain weather. Here at Landscape Plus we have been busy blowing out irrigation systems, putting the finishing touches on landscape projects while purchasing salt, shovels, ice scrapers and checking our snow removal equipment all in preparation for the upcoming winter.

There are a few things you can also do before that first big freeze.

1. It is a really good idea to give a deep watering to all the trees and shrubs before the ground freezes. It is better for the ground to freeze wet than dry. The most susceptible part of the plant to cold temps is the roots. So if the ground is frozen wet it is a consistent temperature all winter.

Continue reading “Final Tips to Get Your Garden Ready for Winter”