It seems that
every year people want to get in the holiday spirit sooner and make their
annual trip to Kaleidoscope Farms earlier in the season.
“It used to be
that our busiest days were on that first weekend in December but that has
really shifted to the weekend after Thanksgiving in recent years,” said Dave
Reese, owner of Kaleidoscope Farms. “To accommodate those who are wishing to
get their tree earlier we are trying something different this year by opening
for business the weekend before Thanksgiving.”
For
the first time ever Kaleidoscope will be open the Saturday and Sunday prior to
Thanksgiving, Nov. 21 (10 a.m. until 5 p.m) and Nov. 22 (2 p.m. until 5 p.m.).
Then, after Thanksgiving, the farm will be open for the normal hours.
Nov.
27: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Nov.
28: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Nov.
29: 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
Following
that weekend the farm will be open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. -
6 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. on S
Getting
Christmas trees earlier in the season increases the importance of proper tree
care. It is very important
to keep them well watered. They will take up more water than many people think.
Here are some
additional tree care tips from the National Christmas Tree Association.
1. Displaying trees in water in a
traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their
freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.
2. Make a fresh cut to remove about a half-inch
thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the
stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don't cut the trunk at an
angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in
the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.
3. Once home, place the tree in water as
soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and
still take up water. Don't bruise the cut surface or get it dirty.
4. If needed, trees can be temporarily
stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a
bucket that is kept full of water.
5. To display the trees indoors, use a stand
with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of
stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water
level in the stand.
6. Keep trees away from major sources of
heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room
temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption
each day.
7. The temperature of the water used to fill
the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.
8. Check the stand daily to make sure that
the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in
the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.
9. Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk
does not improve water uptake.
10.
Use
of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying
of the tree.
