Your Guide To Selecting the Perfect Tree!

When you buy your real tree, you are helping to improve the environment. Unlike artificial trees, when a real tree is discarded it doesn’t have to end up in a landfill. Real trees can be shredded for mulch or used in wildlife preservation. Hanover Borough, Penn Township and Manchester MD are just a few of the areas that offer recycling of Christmas trees. Often the shredded mulch product is available free of charge to the public. Tree farms are home to all kinds of wildlife, and while growing, your tree provides oxygen and cleans the air. New trees are planted to replace the ones cut at Christmas.

No matter what type of tree you are looking for, Showvaker's Quality Evergreens has what you need! The first step is to pick out your tree from one of our eight varieties. Each type of tree has its own unique characteristics and is sure to look great in your home. Choose from our fresh pre-cut trees, or grab a saw and wagon and head out to our field and cut your own.

In today’s busy world, many families want farm fresh quality, but don’t always have the time to walk the whole farm for the perfect tree. If you do choose one of our pre-cut trees, you can find them displayed in our 30'x60' tree tent. The tent we set up each year to display our fresh cut trees not only provides shelter for our customers in inclement weather but also protects our fresh cut trees from the warm sunlight and drying winds. Trees are fresh cut daily and displayed on pin stands so that you can view all four sides before selecting your tree.

We have always emphasized the importance of putting a tree in water as soon as possible after it is cut; that is why all of our fresh cut trees are placed in their own water pan.

Looking for a particular tree? Just ask. We’ve got all kinds. There are plenty of the most popular Douglas Fir and Scotch Pine. Another favorite is the Norway Spruce. Its noble looking dark green foliage makes lovely contrast with white or gold ornaments. The Fraser Fir with its layered look is becoming increasingly popular. Ever try a Colorado Blue Spruce for a Christmas tree? It is beautiful decorated, but wear gloves while decorating if you are irritated by the needles. If you have ever had a Concolor Fir you know how its citrus fragrance delights. Allergy sufferers have been known to be able to tolerate White Pine. If we can be of any help at all in picking out your tree, please let us know.

Don't know what they look like? Well take a look below for our tree choices. Note that prices are for "Choose and Cut" trees up to ten feet tall, and prices are subject to change from season to season.

	Blue Spruce "An Excellent Christmas Tree" Needle Type: Short, stiff, green to bright blue needles. Needle Retention: Very Good to Excellent. Price: $6.75 per foot.
	Cannan Fir "Up and Coming Star" Needle Type: Medium, soft, green to very dark green needles. Needle Retention: Excellent. Price: $6.75 per foot.
	Concolor Fir "Fragrance and Style" Needle Type: Medium to long, green to blue needles. Needle Retention: Excellent. Price: $6.75 per foot.
	Douglas Fir "A Christmas Tradition" Needle Type: Short, soft, green to blue-green needles. Needle Retention: Excellent. Price: $6.75 per foot.
	Fraser Fir "The Cadillac of Christmas Trees" Needle Type: Short, flat, dark green needles. Needle Retention: Excellent. Price: $7.50 per foot.
	Norway Spruce "Value and Beauty" Needle Type: Short, stiff, green to dark green needles. Needle Retention: Very good up to 3 weeks. Price: $5.50 per foot.
	Scotch Pine "A Holiday Favorite" Needle Type: Medium to long, green to dark green needles. Needle Retention: Very Good. Price: $4.50 per foot.
	White Pine "Great Look and Style" Needle Type: Long, soft, green to blue green needles. Needle Retention: Excellent. Price: $5.50 per foot.

After choosing a tree, someone from our staff will place your tree on our shaker to remove any loose needles, leaves, snow or other debris.

Once your tree is shaken, you have the option to have your tree drilled and any limbs trimmed.

What is tree drilling? It is one of the easiest ways to set up your tree. We have purchased equipment that drills a vertical hole in the trunk of your tree. A special stand is available with a peg that exactly matches the drilled hole in the tree. When you get home, simply tap the peg into the hole, stand up your tree and unbale. Your tree stands straight the first time. No screws or braces to adjust. Setting up your tree has never been easier (or less frustrating). Also, there is no charge for drilling your tree. If you prefer not to use the drilling system we suggest the Gunnard stand. This stand has performed great; allowing straight standing of the most crooked of trunks. Both tree stand systems will be available.

After drilling and trimming your tree, we will bale your tree for you making it cleaner and easier to get it home. Our baling machine is setup to accomodate any size tree.

As always, Shaking, Trimming, Drilling, and Baling are free to you at Showvaker's.

Tree Care

Did you know that a freshly cut tree can drink as much as two gallons of water per day? Talk about being thirsty! To best care for your tree, place it in water as soon as you get home. The first few days you may need to water 2-3 times per day, so be sure that your stand is large enough to keep the base of your tree covered between watering. We will have static sticker "Mirror Messages" again this year to remind you to water your tree.