Real Christmas Trees

beaker141

Can anyone explain the pricing structure of real xmas trees - I am looking to get one and always feel I am being ripped off wherever I go but dont know the difference between a norway spruce and a nordman fir etc.

dillydilly

Good question ! Just been out this morning looking at trees. The disused petrol station operation on the edge of town only had the new-fangled non-drop type, and wanted £34 for the five footers, I didn't bother asking about the six footers... trouble is, Christmas is a traditional time, hence I want the good old needle dropping, pine smelling fir tree, none of these plastic looking, non-pine smelling modern things. We all have wooden floors now, I don't mind the needles dropping, give us back the old trees !
Can I suggest everyone reports the costs and varieties of trees they're being quoted on, to give us all an idea of what's good value and when we're being ripped off ? Also, to answer the OP, what are the official names of the pine-dropping and plastic looking trees ?

zappomatic

Got a 5½ foot potted Nordman Fir in East Street Market in London for £25.

beaker141

I went to Wyevale Garden Centre, Nordman Fir lge 59.99, Med 49.99.

I then tried a car park xmas tree operation - 5-6Ft he wanted £40, for the biggest stuff he had he wanted £65!

B&Q, Nordman Fir, 5ft for £25. They had some Spruce one for £12.98 but I guess thats the one that drops all over the place.

I picked out the biggest 5ft I could from B&Q and it now looks like its taken over the front room - its a bit of a mad tradition isnt it - chopping down perfectly good trees to put them in your front room!

zappomatic

beaker141 wrote: »

I went to Wyevale Garden Centre, Nordman Fir lge 59.99, Med 49.99.

I then tried a car park xmas tree operation - 5-6Ft he wanted £40, for the biggest stuff he had he wanted £65!

B&Q, Nordman Fir, 5ft for £25. They had some Spruce one for £12.98 but I guess thats the one that drops all over the place.

I picked out the biggest 5ft I could from B&Q and it now looks like its taken over the front room - its a bit of a mad tradition isnt it - chopping down perfectly good trees to put them in your front room!

I did the traditional thing of getting it home, taking the netting off and thinking it looked a lot bigger in the room than it did when I bought it! Just about enough room for it, looks great.

dillydilly

spent £39.95 in the end for a 5-6ft one from the village hardware store. I'm sure these things go up £8 or so each year, and I grumble on some forum somewhere yet still buy one...

phunkles

We support our local forestry commission and paid £28 for a 7foot Norwegian Spruce
the pricing structure there - is based on tree type, and then trees are priced in foot sizes
to be honest our tree was taller than 7foot but they measure to the last branches at the top not the very tip of the tree.

Enterprise_1701C

It was reported on TV earlier in the year that there was some sort of supply problem with the Nordman Firs (seem to recall not so many people are growing them) and they would be more expensive this year, but seem to hear that every year anyway!

beaker141

phunkles wrote: »

We support our local forestry commission and paid £28 for a 7foot Norwegian Spruce
the pricing structure there - is based on tree type, and then trees are priced in foot sizes
to be honest our tree was taller than 7foot but they measure to the last branches at the top not the very tip of the tree.

That sounds a good price and idea = have you got more details - Im only in Manchester so may not be too far away.

phunkles

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/byunique/infd-6hrkvx

Delamere Forest which is not far from Runcorn/Frodsham rough area definately worth it in my opinion

suziequ

I got a 6ft Nordman Fir from Delamere Forest yesterday for £32.50