Caring for your live Christmas Tree
A live Christmas tree is becoming a popular option for our customers during the festive season.
Here are a few tips to make caring for your live Christmas tree a happier, more successful experience.
Before You Bring It Home
- Determine where your tree will live inside your home. Direct heat will dry out the needles and the root ball, damage that may not be visible until spring. If it becomes overly dry, the tree may die.
- You will need a large tub to place the tree in so that the root ball can be watered. A feed tub for livestock is a good option.
- Decide where the tree will be planted and dig the hole before the ground freezes. This enables you to plant it during the winter.
Caring for Your Tree at Home
- HANDLE WITH CARE! Dropping the tree can damage the root system.
- Until you’re ready to bring it in, keep the tree outside in a cold, but protected, location. A porch or in an unheated garage can work.
- Live trees can be kept inside for 7 to 10 days. In cool locations, this can be extended to a maximum of 14 days.
- Watering: to determine if your tree needs water, check the root ball. If the root ball feels hard when you push on it, it’s dry. Water until root ball is soft, but not sitting in standing water.
- When the tree is inside, the root ball should be checked multiple times a week for water as it can dry out quickly under the warm temperature. Outside, the root ball should be watered once a week when the ball isn’t frozen.
Moving Your Tree Outside
- Once you are done with the tree inside, you will need to acclimate it to the cold weather before planting it. An unheated garage would be the ideal place. Maintain moisture during acclimation as previously instructed.
- After 1 to 2 weeks the tree can be planted, weather permitting. If you cannot due to excessive cold or snow, the tree can be maintained in your protected location until spring, so long as the root ball is watered regularly if not frozen.
For a copy of this guide to download and keep please click here.