Buy a Christmas tree from ALES student Landan Poettcker and his pals and you'll take home a great-looking specimen and useful tips to maintain its health over the holidays.
For instance, the fourth-year forestry management student who coordinates the U of A Forest Society's annual Christmas tree sale advises you choose a tree with twigs that bend easily at their ends and don't shed needles when you run your hand along them. And do a sniff test. If there's a musty odour, that's a sign that the tree is already drying out.
"Water is the main thing you can be in control of, so a good rule of thumb is a litre for every inch of (tree) diameter. And make sure you keep the reservoir full," he said, adding that it's important to put a fresh cut on them because it provides fresh cells which will take up the water better.
Of the four species of trees he and his fellow society members have been selling since late November, balsam fir has the strongest fragrance and has been the quickest to sell.
"The seven-to-eight-foot balsam firs went first," he said, although other sizes are still available.
The other tree species for sale are white pine, which some people consider to be hypo-allergenic, Douglas fir (historically the most popular tree in Canada), and Scots pine (Americans' favourite Christmas tree because it has the best needle retention).
The tree lot sale is a non-profit endeavour that's been in operation since the 1990s, when the society asked the University of Alberta's Student Union for a loan to launch a business that could help fund the forestry students' graduation celebrations.
Ten per cent of the profits always go to the United Way and the rest pays for both the grad and other services the society provides, such as networking and social events.
Poettcker says the forestry students truly enjoy chatting with customers, many of them forestry grads and former tree-lot stewards themselves. They also find that putting in shifts at the lot this time of year has other benefits.
"It's a good stress-reliever during exams. It really gets you in the Christmas spirit, which is so easy to get lost."
The sale runs until Sunday, December 20 at Corbett Field, at the corner of 114 Street and 82 Avenue. Trees cost between $30 and $70 and only cash or cheques are accepted. Hours are 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
For instance, the fourth-year forestry management student who coordinates the U of A Forest Society's annual Christmas tree sale advises you choose a tree with twigs that bend easily at their ends and don't shed needles when you run your hand along them. And do a sniff test. If there's a musty odour, that's a sign that the tree is already drying out.
"Water is the main thing you can be in control of, so a good rule of thumb is a litre for every inch of (tree) diameter. And make sure you keep the reservoir full," he said, adding that it's important to put a fresh cut on them because it provides fresh cells which will take up the water better.
Of the four species of trees he and his fellow society members have been selling since late November, balsam fir has the strongest fragrance and has been the quickest to sell.
"The seven-to-eight-foot balsam firs went first," he said, although other sizes are still available.
The other tree species for sale are white pine, which some people consider to be hypo-allergenic, Douglas fir (historically the most popular tree in Canada), and Scots pine (Americans' favourite Christmas tree because it has the best needle retention).
The tree lot sale is a non-profit endeavour that's been in operation since the 1990s, when the society asked the University of Alberta's Student Union for a loan to launch a business that could help fund the forestry students' graduation celebrations.
Ten per cent of the profits always go to the United Way and the rest pays for both the grad and other services the society provides, such as networking and social events.
Poettcker says the forestry students truly enjoy chatting with customers, many of them forestry grads and former tree-lot stewards themselves. They also find that putting in shifts at the lot this time of year has other benefits.
"It's a good stress-reliever during exams. It really gets you in the Christmas spirit, which is so easy to get lost."
The sale runs until Sunday, December 20 at Corbett Field, at the corner of 114 Street and 82 Avenue. Trees cost between $30 and $70 and only cash or cheques are accepted. Hours are 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.