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Selecting Your Mississippi-Grown

Keep in mind where you want to place it.
Make sure the tree will not be too close to heat sources.
Measure the area where the tree will go, so you don’t come home with a tree that is too tall or too wide for your house.
Researching types of Christmas trees is helpful. Some trees are prized for their ability to hold on to their needles. Other trees may be favorable if allergies are a problem.

Go early before the best-looking and freshest ones are sold.
Make sure you talk to the tree retailer about how pricing is established. You don’t want to find the perfect tree and be surprised by the price!
Look for trees growing in shaded areas. These trees are less likely to be dried out.
Choose a fresh tree. A fresh tree will have a healthy, green color. If needles are not flexible and fall off when you touch the branches, the tree is not fresh. A small number of brown needles falling off is acceptable, but green needles should not drop.
Look at the bottom of the tree trunk. Find a tree with a straight bottom so the trunk will easily fit in a stand.
Keep in mind what angle your tree will be seen from. If it is going to be against a wall, it may be acceptable if one side isn’t as full as the others. If the tree will be displayed with all sides showing, you want to find a tree that looks the same all around. Remember, the more perfect a tree is, the more expensive it will be.
On the way home from the farm or retailer, make sure to wrap the tree in plastic or a tarp to keep it from drying out.