Selecting a Christmas tree from a retail outlet may be convenient, but searching among the crowds of people and finding the perfect tree among the dozens of trees can be frustrating.

A "choose and cut" tree farm can turn a frustrating shopping trip into an enjoyable family outing. The trees are often less expensive, too.

Christmas tree farms offer advantages over the commercial businesses that operate from city lots. They provide a larger and more varied tree selection and guarantee fresh trees. Usually, the grower is on hand and can give expert advice and answer questions you may have about your tree.

If you plan on shopping the farms for your Christmas tree this season, check out the following tips to help you make the best selection:

Avoid weekend tree shopping, if possible.

Visit farms during daylight hours when natural lighting fully exposes a tree.

The best time to pick out a tree is three to four weeks before the holiday.

Know which natural characteristics you want in a tree.

Consider a tree's size and shape in relation to your ceiling's height and how much space a room can comfortably afford to give up.

If a heavy ornament decorates the tree's top, check the leader or uppermost tip branch for sturdiness.

Look at the tree from different angles. Inspect carefully all four sides for the defects. Above all else, check for a straight stem.

Already sawed trees are sometimes available. Check the freshness of the tree by bending its branches and tugging gently at the needles. The needles should hold fast; the branches should be pliant. Avoid cut trees during a spell of unseasonable weather. Extremely warm days induce dehydration of needles.

To keep your tree fresh-looking while inside your home, remember that a tree uses up to one quart of water per day. Any tree, no matter what species, will dry up and drop needles if not watered daily or if kept in a too warm room. Be sure to cut two inches off the stem if the tree has stood outside for a few days. This exposes fresh wood that readily absorbs water.

At some Christmas tree farms, "choose and dig" is another alternative. Many people buy live trees and plant them outside after holidays. Some plant the tree in commemoration of a child's first Christmas, of an anniversary or just to beautify their home.

If you're going to plant a tree outside after the holidays, you should choose the spot and dig the hole now before the ground freezes.

You can buy a living Christmas tree already bagged and burlapped and disguise the root system with a colorful skirt. The roots will have to be set into a container. You will need to water daily to keep the tree from drying out. One week is the longest you should keep a living Christmas tree indoors. Otherwise, its survival when planted outside is jeopardized.

When the decorations are removed after Christmas, lower the tree into a hole in the ground that you have already prepared and care for it as you would any plant.

Your children might also like to make a Christmas tree for the birds. Have them decorate an outdoor tree with chunks of suet tied with bright pieces of string. They can hang small paper cups filled with seeds from the branches. Leftover popcorn and cranberry chains can go on the tree, too.

"I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree," wrote Joyce Kilmer. Oh, how true.

For answers to your garden questions, call the Lehigh County Cooperative Extension Office, 610-391-9840, or Northampton County Cooperative Extension Office, 610-746-1970, and ask to speak with a Master Gardener. Volunteers staff phone lines several days a week, Monday - Friday.

Growing Green is contributed by Lehigh County Cooperative Extension Office Staff and Master Gardeners.