If you are the type of person to celebrate the Winter Solstice, Christmas or other holidays with an indoor tree consider this:

Alabama has plenty of tree farms that cater to the winter seasonal clients.

Don&8217;t kill a tree in the name of Christmas! Buy a tree to plant later in the landscape.

Some of the tree farms sell both balled-and-burlapped (B&B) and container grown trees in various sizes to accommodate any holiday d/cor. There is one advantage to buying a container tree over B&B.;

Container grown trees have all of their roots in tact. The B&B tree should be placed in a waterproof bag to keep the water from staining your floor.

The choices for trees are vast. It&8217;s not just Virginia pines anymore.

Now the farmers are growing Leyland cypress (a true southern Christmas tree).

Arizona blue cypress is another great choice for a holiday tree that can be placed in the landscape later. It has a bluish gray foliage and a great shape to the limbs.

Conifers aren&8217;t the only evergreens that can be used as holiday trees.

Try one of the small-leafed magnolias such as the Little Gem. They have a great natural shape.

What about a holly? Nellie R. Stevens makes a beautiful tree for your holiday centerpiece. They are covered with red berries this time of year.

Another holly to consider is the Emily Bruner which is also covered in berries right now.

Try to save the plastic forests this year and buy a genuine, Alabama grown live tree! They also make great holiday gifts.

For more on these and other gardening tips log on to the Home Grown Tomatoes website @ http://HGTradio.net