| Balsam fir is used to make Christmas wreaths and | | | | quality wreath if you don’t have top quality |
| Christmas centerpieces in Maine because it is plentiful | | | | balsam tips to start with. The tips should have needles |
| and makes beautifully fragrant wreaths. The tips of the | | | | on all sides of the tip’s stems appearing |
| branches are used which is the end portion. The tips | | | | rounded. They should be a dark green color. They also |
| are cut in lengths from 12 to 20 inches. One tip is | | | | should be free of any sign of insect damage. |
| normally broken into two or three pieces, bunched | | | | The best quality tips come from the middle of the tree. |
| together and then wired onto the wreath ring. | | | | The branches on the top of the trees oftentimes have |
| Gathering the balsam tips is called tipping. Tipping | | | | long stems and the bottom branches usually only have |
| can’t start until late fall after the needles are set | | | | needles on one side. Naturally, wreath producers |
| which is normally after the first few frosts. After the | | | | purchasing tips are looking for the deep green, rounded |
| needles are set the balsam fir tree will stop growing, | | | | tips that come from the middle of the trees. |
| staying dormant, until spring. The pores in the needles | | | | After cutting the tips are stacked on a stick in |
| are sealed by a waxy coating that covers the | | | | alternate directions until the stick weighs between 50 |
| needle’s surface. If tips are gathered before | | | | and 75 lbs. with twine attached to the ends for |
| setting the needles fall off in a short time and | | | | carrying. They are then taken to be sold to the local |
| can’t be used. In Maine, balsam brush | | | | wreath producers. The tips are sold according to their |
| shouldn’t be collected until after November 1 | | | | weight. |
| with a minimum of three consecutive 20 degree or | | | | Global warming may have an adverse effect on the |
| colder nights. | | | | Christmas wreath industry in Maine if it continues as |
| To gather tips on privately owned forests the tippers | | | | predicted. As the fall gets warmer and warmer |
| have to get permission. Large corporations issue | | | | it’s possible that we won’t have the |
| permits with fees for their property. Most wreath | | | | needed frost to set the needles on the balsam fir |
| producers are very particular about the quality of the | | | | trees until it’s too late for the Christmas season. |
| tips they purchase. It’s hard to produce a top | | | | |