Posted by in Features.


How to care for your Fresh Christmas tree this Festive Season—Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre, Lydacan, Claregalway.

Quality Irish farmed Christmas trees are the best in the world. The Irish climate is perfect for growing beautifully shaped non shedding Christmas trees so much so that the exporting of quality Irish growing Christmas trees is huge business over the next six week’s with hundreds of thousands of Irish farmed trees travelling to homes in the UK and central Europe.

One of the most popular Species is the lovely Nordmann conifer. It’s highly prized for the beautiful deep green colour of the foliage, pine fresh smell and the ability to last well after Christmas holding its colour and pine needles.

Over the past fifteen years investment into the planting and cultivation of Nordmann trees has sored in Ireland with special Christmas tree farms been established throughout Ireland to cater for the huge demand in this quality product.

It normally takes between 8 and 10 years to grow a standard 8ft Nordmann Christmas tree, however many customers now look for larger trees up to 10 to 15 feet in height to fit and fill the modern sitting room.

Irish grown Christmas trees have never been so popular with home owners looking for the traditional pine scented fresh tree to decorate the sitting room.

Over the past ten years Ireland has become the leading European country to grow the very best Christmas trees for quality of shape and deep green scented foliage.

Now is the ideal time to select a freshly grown Irish tree for your home here are some of the most common questions customers have asked when selecting their tree.


1. Why should I buy Irish Grown Nordmann Christmas trees?
These trees have better needle retention and a more consistent shape from top to bottom. The foliage is deep green with a pine fresh scent.

2. Why should I buy Nordmann instead of Norway spruce?
The needles are softer and they stay on the tree not on the carpet. Nordmann Christmas trees have a full ‘real Christmas tree’ shape and hold their foliage under well into the New Year.

3. When selecting a tree what should I look out for?
Look for a tree with a full well branched shape, even branches spaced from top to toe. The colour of the foliage should be deep green and carry a fresh pine scent. Make sure there is a clean stem to make it easy to place into the stand.

4. What type of support stand should I look for?
I recommend a sturdy wide based heavy duty resin stand – large enough to slide the base of the tree into. Ensure there are a number of fasteners to grip the tree securely and a base to hold some water in to help keep the tree fresh.

5. Why is Nordmann the Luxury Christmas tree
from the time it is collected as a seed, an Nordmann is personally tended for at least eight years? It is fertilised, shaped, kept free of pests and weeds, carefully cut, measured, packaged and labeled to ensure that customers get the Christmas tree they deserve.

6. Where does Emerald Nordmann come from?
Irish grown for the Irish home – all Nordmann trees are grown and managed on Irish farms. Each tree is replaced with ten new trees and grown for a full eight years before harvesting.

7. Isn’t it more environmentally friendly to buy an artificial tree?
No! Artificial trees are made of plastic, a non renewable resource which is not
biodegradable. Real trees provide oxygen, are replaced when cut and are
completely recyclable.

8. Would Christmas be the same without a real tree?
No! Ask the children.

9. Is my Christmas tree still alive?
If cut, it is no longer alive. However, it can still take up water through the stem if it is freshly cut and kept in a water filled stand. This slows down its deterioration and keeps it fresh for longer.

10. Should I water the Tree?
Place it in a water filled stand (The Emerald Fastand is particularly suitable). Give it
a drink of water every day. Please note it is pointless giving the tree water unless
you have trimmed the base to let it drink.


Tips to get the very best from your tree

  • Cut the stem
  • Keep the tree in water
  • Keep it away from heat
  • Treat it like fresh flowers
  • Give it a drink of water every day
  • Keep it away from direct heat
  • Keep temperature below 20C
  • Treat it like fresh flowers