If you want fresh pine, look for Hungarian-produced pine

The drought and pests did not make it easier for farmers involved in domestic pine tree production this year, but there is no need to fear a shortage this year either. Domestic producers await customers with a wide range.

According to the joint overview of the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) and the Interprofessional Organization of Hungarian Ornamental Gardeners, pine trees are grown on about three thousand hectares in our country, mainly in Vas, Zala, Somogy counties, but many people are also engaged in this activity in the Northern Central Mountains – around the Mátra and Bükk – as well as in Nógrád and Heves counties. In the weeks before Christmas, 1.8-2 million pine trees are planted annually, and a significant part of this quantity, almost 70 percent, is now Nordmann pine. In the past decade, this pine species has become the most popular in our country, surpassing the long-lasting spruce and the silver pine, which delights with its bluish needles. While Nordmann firs were previously imported to our country, foreign conifers now only come to the country as an expansion of the range.

For the holidays, we should prefer cut firs over “ground ball” firs, as high-quality firs that remain after planting require special training. If we decide on a ground ball fir, we should only purchase the plant from an official ornamental tree nursery.

Whichever variety we choose, the most important thing is to buy the fir tree, which is considered the highlight of the Christmas holiday, from a reliable place, preferably from a producer. Producers appear in almost every settlement in the country every year with their offerings. Fir fairs typically start in early December and last until Christmas Eve. After purchase, it is worth keeping the tree in a cool place – on a terrace, balcony, garage or basement – ​​but it is not necessary to put it in water, as the cut tree no longer absorbs water at this time.

Contrary to misconceptions, the pine trees on the market do not come from the “deforestation” of forests, but are produced from cultivation on purpose-built plantations. The claim that those who choose artificial pine trees are making an environmentally conscious decision is also unfounded. While pine trees grown for Christmas tree purposes produce oxygen, the production and destruction of artificial pine trees cause a serious environmental burden. Most artificial pine trees come from China, so their ecological footprint is extremely large. Moreover, experience shows that customers discard these after 5-6 years, while an artificial tree would have to be used year after year for at least 20 years to truly be a more environmentally friendly alternative.

Finally, think about it, it’s like greeting someone with artificial flowers or putting artificial flowers on the holiday table. Don’t do it.