Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

1 A day at a tree farm can yield the ideal evergreen and a new family tradition. This year, bring everyone together by picking out and cutting your own Christmas tree.

2 The first trees to get picked over tend to be the ones near the parking lot, so the farther reaches of a farm might offer a better selection.

3 Two things to remember to bring to the farm (or to ask whether they'll be provided) are a measuring tape and a handsaw. (Before you cut a tree, it pays to know it will fit in your living room!).

4 Important tools to have for pruning your tree. From left to right: pole saw (reaches overhead branches), hand pruner (available in different sizes for a comfortable fit), lopper (can cut branches up to two inches thick), folding handsaw (good for the home garden; angled blades get a better grip on the wood), and a pole pruner (a lopper on a pole, with pulleys that make cutting easy).

5 Trimming branches -- balance a tree's shape with a pole pruner, which lets you make accurate cuts up to ten feet. The pull cord runs through pulleys that increase the force you apply, much the same way a lopper's long handles maximize cutting power.

6 For pruning large branches, to avoid torn bark and to control branch fall, make three cuts.

7 A foot or more from the trunk, saw a vertical "undercut" halfway through the branch. A few inches farther out, cut down from the top of the brach until it falls. Then saw off the stub at the collar, the swelling where the branch grows out of the trunk.

8 For pruning small branches... Here are two different techniques for removing smaller branches. For a natural effect, angle the cut to follow the slope of another branch.

9 Hand pruners are ideal for cutting small branches in tight spots. Bypass style shears, shown here, slice bark and wood more cleanly than anvil-style versions.

10 For pruning dead branches... When removing dead wood, it is still important to leave the branch collar intact and to make clean, precise cuts. This enables the tree to heal properly and close the wound, which prevents insects pests and diseases from entering. Keep one hand on the tree to steady yourself as you cut, even if you're standing on a short stepladder.

11 Their are many variates that look and smell wonderful. From left: Noble Fir, White Pine, Concolor Fir, 'Carolina Sapphire' Cypress, and Nordmann Fir.

12 Left to right: Leyland Cypress, Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, 'Blue Ice' Cypress, and Fraser Fir.

13 Here are some close-up photographs of different boughs, clockwise from the top: Balsam Fir, 'Carolina Sapphire' Cypress, Nordmann Fir, Noble Fir, Concolor Fir, 'Blue Ice' Cypress, Douglas Fir, White Pine, Fraser Fir, and Leyland Cypress.

14 From the traditional favorites to lesser-known beauties, here are 19 varieties with information on where they grow and how to use them.

15 1. Eastern Juniper, 2. White Pine, 4. Eucalyptus, 5. Blue Spruce, 6. Burford Holly, 7. Redwood.

16 3. English Holly, 8. Black Pine, 13. Fraser Fir.

17 9. Western Juniper, 10. Princess Pine, 14. Bay, 15. Incense Cedar, 16. Por Orford Cedar.

18 11. English Holly, 12. Boxwood, 17. Noble Fir, 18. White Cedar, 19. Magnolia.

19 After the Holidays: A recycling tip for your Christmas tree. Use boughs to mulch perennials. Laid down after the ground has frozen, they help reduce damage from freeze-thaw cycles.

20 Follow these steps when putting up your tree. If you don’t put up the tree right away, wrap the stump in a damp towel, andleave it in a cool, but not freezing, place.

21 Before you bring in the tree, make a fresh cut on the bottom of the trunk to remove any dried sap. Get it into a stand right away, and water.

22 This aluminum stand is good because the four supports adjust to fit any tree.

23 You can hide the tree bag with a tree skirt.

24 A plastic tree bag makes cleanup easier: Just pull thebag up over the tree to carry it outside.

25 The tree and stand can be placed into a metal basin.

26 A terra-cotta pot works just as well -- just make sure it’s not too top-heavy. Fill the container with water. A Christmas tree should be watered every day; check frequently to see that the container isn't getting dry.