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Loblolly Christmas Tree?

Started by scsmith42, December 13, 2009, 02:15:00 PM

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scsmith42

This year the Doc and I have decided to harvest a Christmas tree from here on the farm, as opposed to buying a commercial one.

Last year's "Christmas Poinsetta" just didn't do much for me...

Unfortunatly, our farm is not rife with traditional Christmas trees... we do have some ERC, but those tend to be somewhat "tubular" with respect to their shape.

The trees that we have the most of are Loblolly SYP's, so earlier today I harvested a nice fourteen footer to go in front of the windows in our living room.

What I'm wondering is how loblolly will stand up to being inside the house.  I have it in a traditional base, and it was soaking in water within 10 minutes of being cut so I shouldn't have a problem with cell closure at the base.  I'm also planning to do the old "Sprite in the tree water" trick.

Does anybody know how well the tree will last, and if there is anything that I can do to extend it's "health" through the holidays?

Thx.

Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

D Hagens


Not sure about your tree.

Mine came in two parts then you plug it in. 8)

Took all but two mins and I was done 8)

DanG

I think it'll be fine Scott.  Look at it this way; if you went to a lot and bought one, it would have been cut for a month already.  Actually, my parents used a Loblolly one time years ago.  It wasn't shaped real well, so the Ol' Man got some branches from another tree, drilled some holes and stuck them in to fill in the gaps.  It worked out pretty DanG well. 8) :D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

beenthere

Looked and looked, and trudged and trudged. But finally found a white spruce out there and just put it into a stand.




Another view
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ianab

The standard Christmas tree in this part of the world is a Radiata pine and they seem to hold up pretty well, at least getting to New Year with needles intact.  :)

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Warbird


Norm

Gee Scott I thought we were the only ones that used an old growth pine for a Christmas tree.  :o



Although at 14' you have me beat....but only because I had to cut off 2' to get the trunk to fit in out stand. :D

Did you have to shot the spotted owl nesting in yours like I did.  ;D

scsmith42

Beenthere, I can see that you had to look pretty hard for a tree....   :D

Norm, fortunately I was able to find one that was not in a wetlands, did not a spotted owl's nest, nor a hibernating polar bear in it. ;D

I might have you beat on overall height, but your tree has mine beat in terms of branches!  Looks like you've got two angels with your tree - one on top and one in front!  ;)
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Ianab

Quote from: Warbird on December 13, 2009, 05:40:46 PM
A radiator pine?  ;)

RadiatA  ;)

If you even visit NZ you will get to see about a millioin of them, they are like weeds, but grow faster.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

WDH

On the little seven foot ERC that we put up today, we put on 700 lights.  My wife likes a lot of lights  :).

I have never used a loblolly, but I am about out of red cedar, so it may be a Lob next year.

A pic of your Lob would be very nice  ;D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Larry

We've used ERC, white, scotch, and red pine.  Even brought live white pine in and planted them after Christmas...they were the best. :)  Kids would say they remembered that tree back when... :) :)

This year because we have no room (and I'm sorta lazy) we have this ceramic fiber optic tree about 18" high...not much Christmas cheer there :(...maybe next year when we get moved into the house.

And yea I would like to see pics of your trees.  Norm and Patty that's a great looking tree. 8) 8)
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

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isawlogs


Here it is a Balsam tree. I would gladly go pick one in the bush , but they have them at the store at the village. they are nice and fat with lots of branches for the decorations . I have it here , but it is still outside frozen , waiting for the kids to get here to help put er up .  8) 8)
  I'll get a picture of it once it is up .   
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

scsmith42

WDH and Larry:  Ask and yee shall receive!

Our home has a second story with a loft, which is where I took the photo from.  My desk is in the loft area, and as I'm sitting here typing this the top of the tree is actually above my head!



Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

fishpharmer

Scott that tree looks fine to me. 
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Warbird

Scott and Norm, you both have lovely Christmas trees.  We opted to get a fake prelit tree a few years ago, due to longevity and ease.  Maybe some year, if I can ever afford a nice plot of land, we'll start gathering our own again.

SwampDonkey

Growing up on the farm I've seen a large variety of Christmas trees. White cedar, balsam fir, red pine, white spruce....  ;D My favorite were the white cedar and balsam fir, nice smells. :) The spruce smells to, but anyone knows what that reminds them of. :D Black spruce would be more pleasant smelling, kinda of like sweet fern smell.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

moonhill

Spruce is rather prickly, we may try cedar this year.  I hang our tree from the ceiling, this way the cats can't knock it over.  The base in a bucket of water, simple really, I don't like those stands, and they are never big enough. 

Tim 
This is a test, please stand by...

Norm


Stephen1

Very nice tree, yours to Norm, Cheryl won't let us have a real tree anymore.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

WDH

Scott,

I am impressed with that Lob!  And to think that I just planted about 10,000  ;D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

For many years when we were kids, Dad grew his own Christmas trees. At first we planted Virginia pines, but we eventually switched to Leyland cypresses. We would use one of Dad's trees downstairs, but us kids would always go back in the woods to find a loblolly pine "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree for upstairs. They always lasted well past New Year's, so I'm sure you'll have no trouble with your tree :)
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

Patty

Since you cut your tree yourself, Scott, it will stay fresh for several weeks. My boys and I have been sawing our own trees since they were little tykes. 8) I put them in water as soon as we get home. Once they thaw out, they really suck up the water...several gallons a day even! After a few days of that they settle down a bit and do not require so much. In fact I don't add water at all after the tree is decorated and packages are placed under it. (for no other reason than I get lazy by then) Of course the tree comes down right after Christmas, I do not leave it up even through New Year's Day.

This is for fresh cut trees only! If you buy a live tree off someone's lot, keep fresh water in it every single day!
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

scsmith42

All, thanks much for the feedback and info!  Although it's not as thick as the commercial trees, it is nice to be able to use one from your own property!
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

DanG

Pretty nice to not shuck out a couple hundred bucks for it too. 8) 8)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

WDH

Pretty real nice, in fact  :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

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