It’s a debate about real trees isn’t it, but as Dove said - it’s a crop really.Â
I suppose it depends on where you stand defining 'crop' Personally I would say a crop is something that provides a food or material that essentially makes it worthwhile growing. (taking into account land use, fertiliser, labour, fuel, processing, transport etc). In terms of real Xmas trees what do they provide considering all the resources that are used in growing, cropping, selling & disposal? Nothing. They're purely decorative & completely unneccesary. I know that probably marks me out as a miserable sod but cutting down a tree for no other reason than to hang plastic balls on it for two weeks then chuck it away seems a rather odd thing to do IMO. A lot get recycled but many don't.Â
Well, that’s the cut flower trade and florists damned for a start … and I’m not really sure what use most roses, dahlias and other garden plants are … they’re mainly  decorative after all …. except they bring pleasure, make us happy and lift our spirits  … but what use is that?Â
 🎄 😊Â
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We bought an artificial ( spelling elf just changed that to articulate)  tree about 5 years ago, under £50. Narrower than our previous one to fit into the space. I could never bear buying a chopped down tree, so when we did have real trees, I would buy them in pots and then have to find space in the garden to plant them out. Don’t think I’d go back to real if only because the needles were such a nuisance. I must remember to cut some pine branches from the garden to provide a little fragrance.
It's had its base trimmed and is sitting in a bucket of water till I'm ready to prune off the lowest branches so I can sit it in my Xmas tree bucket and then bring it in - as late as possible or I get fed up with it before 12th night.
Like @wild edges I have to shuffle house plants to fit it in the living room tho in my case it's a 2m high ficus benjamina or a 2.3m high ficus elastica and an oriental hibiscus.
It's true that all my plants are decorative and perhaps that puts me at fault. But they are life-changing for me. Joy, inspiration, consolation, a daily pleasure. And I love Christmas - I know, I know. The sparkling tree on Christmas morning. Wonderful!
It’s a debate about real trees isn’t it, but as Dove said - it’s a crop really.Â
I suppose it depends on where you stand defining 'crop' Personally I would say a crop is something that provides a food or material that essentially makes it worthwhile growing. (taking into account land use, fertiliser, labour, fuel, processing, transport etc). In terms of real Xmas trees what do they provide considering all the resources that are used in growing, cropping, selling & disposal? Nothing. They're purely decorative & completely unneccesary. I know that probably marks me out as a miserable sod but cutting down a tree for no other reason than to hang plastic balls on it for two weeks then chuck it away seems a rather odd thing to do IMO. A lot get recycled but many don't.Â
Well, that’s the cut flower trade and florists damned for a start …Â
Not so much 'damned' ..more an alternative viewpoint.. but no, cut flowers or florists aren't sustainable industries. IMO. For the amount of resources they require they're unnecessary & apart from looking nice for a few daysÂ
(which they undoubtedly do) provide nothing of any real merit. Same can be said of coiffured lawns..environmental deserts requiring vast resources...maybe that's why meadows have become 'on trend'?
and I’m not really sure what use most roses, dahlias and other garden plants are … they’re mainly  decorative after all …. except they bring pleasure, make us happy and lift our spirits  … but what use is that?Â
A great deal - that's my whole point - they're alive & available year in year out, don't take up much land, by comparison don't take a lot of looking after, and perhaps most importantly given the current zeitgeist, are vastly more beneficial to the environment. Gardens or garden plants can also be enjoyed en masse. And neither do they get dumped in landfill in large amounts.Â
I do find it a little strange in today's world where everything is so closely examined and criticised even if it seems completely innocent that no one seems to mention Christmas trees. Perhaps it's because we all probably need Christmas at the moment but it seems odd that in a society so obsessed with waste that nothing has been mentioned. The same goes for pumpkins that are normally disguarded in my local woods by the looks of things.
I do find it a little strange in today's world where everything is so closely examined and criticised even if it seems completely innocent that no one seems to mention Christmas trees. Perhaps it's because we all probably need Christmas at the moment but it seems odd that in a society so obsessed with waste that nothing has been mentioned. The same goes for pumpkins that are normally disguarded in my local woods by the looks of things.
I've never 'needed' Xmas but your point is well made. To hell with being environmentally virtuous.. it's Xmas. ..or Halloween. Seeing all those poor bloody Poinsettias outside the Supermarket almost makes my bottom lip wobble..
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and I’m not really sure what use most roses, dahlias and other garden plants are … they’re mainly  decorative after all …. except they bring pleasure, make us happy and lift our spirits  … but what use is that?Â
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I must remember to cut some pine branches from the garden to provide a little fragrance.
It's had its base trimmed and is sitting in a bucket of water till I'm ready to prune off the lowest branches so I can sit it in my Xmas tree bucket and then bring it in - as late as possible or I get fed up with it before 12th night.
Like @wild edges I have to shuffle house plants to fit it in the living room tho in my case it's a 2m high ficus benjamina or a 2.3m high ficus elastica and an oriental hibiscus.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
To hell with being environmentally virtuous.. it's Xmas. ..or Halloween. Seeing all those poor bloody Poinsettias outside the Supermarket almost makes my bottom lip wobble..