Find A Live Christmas Tree In Maryland, How To Keep Tree Fresh

MARYLAND — If your holiday plans including bringing home a live tree, consider visiting one of the many Christmas tree farms in Maryland. Many farms allow kids of all ages to chat with Santa Claus. Others feature petting zoos, hayrides, face painting exhibits and seasonal treats.

If you're looking to pick out your tree in another area, there are plenty of options statewide. The Maryland Christmas Tree Association, an association of growers and retailers, has about 100 members.

Here are some of the Christmas tree farms across Maryland:

• 3 Blessings Tree Farm, 2605 Hunter Mill Rd, White Hall, MD 21161
• A Snowball's Chance Tree Farm, 10760 Marriottsville Rd, Randallstown, MD 21133
• Bakers Lane Christmas Trees, 8420 Bakers Lane, Chestertown, MD 21620
• Blue Heron Christmas Tree Farm, 317 Devers Branch Road, Centreville, MD 21617

• Browning Tree Farm, 18765 Penn Shop Road, Mt. Airy, MD 21771; 301-831-5355 or
  earlebrowning@gmail.com
• Butler's Orchard, 22222 Davis Mill Road, Germantown, MD 20876
• Cawley Family Farm, 24320 Willow Pond Road, Denton, MD 21629
• Cherry Grove Tree Farm, 689 Little New York Rd, Rising Sun, MD 21911
• Clemsonville Christmas Tree Farm, 10120 Clemsonville Rd, Union Bridge, MD 21791
• Davidson Christmas Tree Farm, 1101 Emory Church Rd, Upperco, MD 21155
• Dawkins' Needwood Farm, 130 Brick House Lane, Centreville, MD 21617
• Deer Creek Valley Tree Farm, 3744 Ady Road, Street, MD 21154
• Doyle's Christmas Tree Farm, 1155 Bernoudy Road, White Hall, MD 21161
• Dreamland Christmas Tree Farm, 2700 Sumantown Rd, Middletown, MD 21769
• E&E Tree Farm, Walkersville, MD 21793
• Eberle Tree Farm, 13415 Liberty Rd, Libertytown, MD 21762
• Environmental Evergreens, 3631 Berkley Rd, Darlington, MD 21034
• Evergreen Acres, 27118 Queentree Road, Mechanicsville, MD 20659; 301-862-1597 or
  nanlav@tqci.com
• Feezers Farm, 3700 Wards Chapel Rd, Marriottsville, MD 21104
• Feldhof Farm, 2311 Neudecker Rd, Westminster, MD 21157
• Fra Mar Tree Farm, 3601 Shiloh Rd., Hampstead, MD, 21074
• Friendship Trees, 6950 Old Solomons Island Rd, Friendship MD 20758
• Fritz Farm and Nursery, 1001 Hollingsworth Rd, Joppa, MD 21085
• Frostee Tree Farm, 8926 Cowenton Ave, Perry Hall, MD 21128
• Gaver Farm, 5501 Detrick Rd, Mount Airy, MD 21771
• Greenway Farms, 15097 Frederick Road, Woodbine, MD
• Gunpowder Tree Farm, 12025 Philadelphia Rd, Kingsville, MD 21087
• Hale Tree Farm, 4827 Norrisville Rd, White Hall, MD 21161
• Hickory Hill Farm, 3123 Copenhaver Rd, Street, MD 21154
• Hilltop Tree Farm, 106 Old Hilltop Road, Conowingo, MD 21918
• Hirt Tree Farm, 917 Arnold Road Westminster, MD 21157
• Holiday Memories Farm, 4848 Muddy Creek Rd, West River, MD 20778
• Jarrettsville Nurseries Christmas Tree Farm, 1121 Holy Cross Rd, Street, MD 21154
• Jones Family Farm, 3500 Prospect Rd, Street, Maryland 21154
• Linden Hill Christmas Tree Farm, 4102 Old Crain Hwy, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
• Long Looked For Come At Last Farm, 38625 Golden Beach Rd, Mechanicsville, MD 20659
• Martin's Tree Farm, 18130 Falls Road, Hampstead, MD 21074
• Mayne's Tree Farm, 420 Buckeystown Pike, Buckeystown, MD 21717
• Mount Hope Farms, 16345 Mt. Tabor Road, Hagerstown, MD 21740; 301-790-2372 or
  mthope@erols.com
• Naughty Pine Nursery, 18200 Elmer School Road, Dickerson, MD 20842
• Otterdale View Christmas Tree Farm, 4364 Middleburg Road, Union Bridge, MD
• P&J Tree Farm, 31315 E. Line Road, Delmar, MD 21875; 410-896-9257 or jbozmansr@aol.com
• Pine Valley Farms, 1150 Fannie Dorsey Rd, Sykesville, MD 21784
• Pine Valley Christmas Trees, 361 Fairview Rd, Elkton, MD 21921
• Prettyboy Run Farms, 2105 Mt Carmel Rd, Parkton, MD 21120
• Pusey Tree Plantation, 197 Love Run Rd, Colora, MD 21917
• R&K Trees, 20701 Slidell Rd, Boyds, MD, 20814
• Ruhl's Tree Farm, 14430 Jarrettsville Pike, Phoenix, MD, 21131-1739
• Sewell's Farm, 3400 Harney Rd, Taneytown, MD 21787
• Showvaker's Christmas Tree Farm, 2020 Garrett Road, Manchester, MD 21102
• Simmons Christmas Trees, 10630 Hanesville Rd, Chestertown, MD 21620
• Thomas Tree Farm, 3501 Hanover Pike, Manchester, MD 21102
• TLV Tree Farm, 15155 Triadelphia Mill Road, Glenelg, MD 21737
• TnT Trees at Maple Springs Farm, 1415 Singerly Rd, Elkton, MD 21921
• Waller's Tree Farm, 923 Freeland Rd, Freeland, MD, 21053
• Winterfarm, 4336 St Clair Bridge Rd, Jarrettsville, MD 21084
• Woodlake Tree Farm, 2858 Broadford Road, Oakland, MD 21550

Did we miss any? Tell us in the comments or email deb.belt@patch.com.

Here is a map of Christmas tree farms, courtesy of the National Christmas Tree Association; you can filter results by options like choose and cut tree farms, pre-cut trees, gift shops, hayrides and more.

The primary species of Christmas trees grown in Maryland are scotch pine, white pine, blue spruce, douglas fir and fraser fir.

The National Christmas Tree Association has several recommendations for finding the right tree, starting with measuring your space.

Before You Go:

Measure your ceiling height. You don't want a tree that's too tall or wide. That means you need to know what size tree to get before you get to the lot. A 10-foot-tall tree will typically be about 8 feet wide at the bottom.

Ask about the price and payment methods before you get there so you're not in for an unwelcome surprise when it's time to pay. Pricing will vary from farm to farm. Some tree farms measure and price their trees individually, and others have a set price.

Other tips to consider, from the National Christmas Tree Association:

• Test the branches and needles for freshness. Run a branch through your enclosed hand. If the needles come off easily, avoid. Bend the outer branches, and if they're not pliable, move along. On the other hand, if branches snap easily, the tree is probably too dry.
• Look for other indicators of dryness or deterioration: excessive needle loss, discoloration, musty smell, needle pliability or wrinkled bark.
• Trust your gut.

Before buying a live tree you need to check how fresh the tree is, and be prepared to keep it water so it doesn't dry out and pose a fire hazard.

Want some advice on picking out the right tree? Click here for on what to look for in a Christmas tree.

How To Care For Your Live Christmas Tree

Picking the Tree

• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

Placing the Tree

• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 2 inches from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is at least 3 feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
• Make sure the tree does not block an exit.
• Be sure to add water to the tree stand daily.

Lighting The Tree

• Use lights that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Some lights are only to be used indoors, while others are only to be used outdoors. So choose the right lights for the location.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords, loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer's instructions for the maximum number of light strands to connect.
• Never use candles to decorate the tree.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed. This applies to both artificial and live Christmas trees.

Watering The Tree

• Ask questions about the trees. Ask the retailer when he/she gets the trees: are they delivered once at the beginning of the season, or several shipments during the season? Often, a tree obtained soon after its arrival on the retail lot will be very fresh because it was recently cut.
• Do a branch/needle test for freshness. Run a branch through your enclosed hand - the needles should not come off easily. Bend the outer branches - they should be pliable. If they are brittle and snap easily, the tree is too dry.
• Look for other indicators of dryness or deterioration. Indicators might include: excessive needle loss, discolored foliage, musty odor, needle pliability, and wrinkled bark. If none of the trees on the lot look fresh, go to another lot.

• Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most efficient way of maintaining freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.
• 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.
• Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.
• 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. Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does not improve water uptake. 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.

After Christmas
Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are usually very serious. Get rid of your tree after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission conducted a live Christmas tree burn to demonstrate how quickly Christmas tree fires ignite when needles become brittle do to under-watering.

Trees can become fully engulfed in a matter of seconds, then ignite everything in the path of the flames. In comparison, an electrical fire sparked for the demonstration on a well-watered tree didn't spread at all.