Live Christmas Trees

Today, we buy cut trees or artificial trees to decorate our homes at Christmas time. Many plant lovers, however, often prefer a live Christmas tree, one they can enjoy during the holidays and for many years after.

Choosing a Live Christmas Tree

Selecting the perfect live Christmas tree can be a little complicated, but gardeners are certainly up to the challenge.

First, consider where you're going to plant the tree when the holidays are over. Do you really have enough room for a pine tree taller than your house? This little Christmas tree is likely to get very big indeed as the years pass, so if you don't have a lot of space, consider buying a dwarf variety.

What trees grow well in your area? There's not much point in planting a live Christmas tree that won't thrive in your conditions, no matter how beautiful it looks in the living room.

Find a small tree, it's much easier to handle. Walking a large tree with its root ball through doorways can be quite difficult. Small trees are also far more likely to transplant successfully.

Choose a kind of tree that is likely to survive inside your house. Norway spruce make wonderful cut Christmas trees, but the needles to not retain water very well and they may dry out during their time indoors.

Make sure the tree has an adequate root ball. A four-foot-tall tree should have a root ball that is at least 18 inches wide and a bigger root ball is even better. The tree should not wobble at the top of the root ball. Inspect the conditions of the needles to be sure that the root ball has been kept properly moist since the tree was first harvested.

Examine the branch tips. A properly sheared tree will show live buds at the end of each branch, ready for the next growing season.

Preparing for the Christmas Tree

Unless you live in a very warm climate, the ground is likely to be frozen after Christmas, so you will need to prepare the planting area in advance.

Dig the planting hole before the ground freezes. Then fill it with straw, mulch, or fallen leaves (these can be bagged for easier handling). Cover the hole with a tarpaulin or a piece of plywood. This will keep the pit from freezing.

Save the soil you dug out and store it where it won't freeze. You can put it in a garage or shed, place it in the basement or just mulch heavily, depending on the kind of weather you are likely to have.

Care of Live Christmas Trees

A live Christmas tree should not experience sudden extreme changes of temperature. Sudden warmth will cause a dormant tree to "wake up" and start to grow and a tree that is actively growing will die when it is abruptly returned to freezing conditions. Gradually introduce your tree to warmer temperatures by keeping it in a sheltered area like a garage or enclosed porch for a few days before bringing it inside. This is also a good time to check for insect eggs or other pests.

Spray the tree with an antidessicant while it is getting acclimated. This will reduce moisture loss. Not only will your tree shed fewer needles while it is indoors, it will be healthier when it is replanted outside.

Locate the tree in the coolest part of the room. Keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

Don't remove the burlap around the root ball and don't remove any soil. Place the tree in a large tub and mulch the top of the tub. Keep the root ball moist, but don't let it get soggy.

Don't keep your tree indoors for too long. Some experts suggest only four days, while others say that up to ten days is fine.

Planting the Christmas Tree

Avoid shocking your live Christmas tree by suddenly moving it outdoors. Put it back in the garage for a few days and let it get used to colder temperatures again before planting.

Choose a mild day to plant the tree. Use the soil you saved to refill the hole. Water the tree well with slightly warm water. Mulch the area heavily to keep the soil from freezing right away. The warmer soil encourages roots to develop.

Wait before using any fertilizer. You want the tree to remain dormant and concentrate its energy on establishing roots. Water your new tree occasionally through the winter if precipitation is low.