Ask DCist: An Arboreal Christmas
It's been a tradition since time immemorial (or at least since pagan days): the Christmas tree. A reader getting into the holiday spirit wondered where to get their piney living room centerpiece in the city, since it's probably frowned upon to take a saw to some trees in Rock Creek Park.
Thankfully, at least for those among us with the Christmas spirit, trees are available all over the city. Here's a few of our suggestions — as always, add yours in the comments.
Charitable Tree Lots:
*Ross Elementary School at 1730 R St. NW is selling (and delivering!) trees from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the first and second weekends in December.
*Saint Anselm's Abbey at 4150 South Dakota Ave. NE is selling trees from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10 only.
*Now through Dec. 15, the Boy Scouts of America have set up their lot at 7120 Richmond Hwy in Alexandria.
Christmas tree photo by Flickr user Peter F. Martin
For-profit Tree Lots:
*The Home Depot on Rhode Island Ave. NE has pretty much the best deals in the city for cheap trees — we can only assume they're able to undercut the competition by such a big margin because they're banking on luring customers into the store to spend money on other things.
*Garden District at 14th and S Streets NW, which has filled their outside area with trees looking for warm urban homes — not the cheapest option, but you pay a premium for that kind of convenience. They do have a pretty good deal on firewood, however: 3 bundles for $15 is at least cheaper than Whole Foods.
*You can usually find trees for sale at Eastern Market on weekends in December. We haven't been down there yet to check out the selection. Have you? Also on the Hill, Frager's Hardware at 1115 Pennsylvania Ave. SE on Capitol Hill is selling some nice looking trees.
Cut Your Own: For those who'd rather pick and cut (or pick and have someone else cut) their own tree, the Post has a buying guide and a listing of tree farms in Maryland and Virginia, though it also notes that suburban development is pushing these cut-your-own farms farther and farther away each year.
Fake Trees: For those not interested in the responsibility of those needy real trees, the Ikeas in both College Park and Woodbridge have lovely fake trees for low, low, Swedish prices, and we hear the Rite Aid at Connecticut and Florida Avenues NW has a number of tacky, fiber optic trees, for those who prefer kitsch to classy. We suspect CVS and other stores probably have similar options.
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If you opt for a real tree, how do you care for it? The first thing experts recommend is putting it in a stand with a reservoir and giving it lots of water. Make sure the tree has a fresh cut at the bottom (6-8 hours old at most) so it can absorb the H20. Virginia Tech's agricultural extension program notes freshly cut trees can absorb a gallon of water or more a day, so you should constantly keep water in the stand, which keeps it healthy, prevents the bottom from drying out, and reduces fire risk. A funnel with a tube will make it easier to water the tree once ornaments are on it — try a hardware store or a college kid if you don't have one. And of course, keep the tree away from heat sources and inspect your lights before you put them on. The National Christmas Tree Association (yes, there is such a thing) has more on caring for your tree.
Once the presents are opened and the New Year bells have rung, you'll have to part ways with your tree. Last year, the D.C. Department of Public Works collected trees during normal curbside trash pickup for two weeks in January, and we expect they'll do the same thing this year. They should have this year's schedule up soon at their web site. If you live outside D.C., try contacting the agency that collects your trash.