Plant a Living Christmas Tree
By Jodi Torpey
Cutting fir trees to use at Christmas dates to the early 1600s in Europe. Those trees were cut, brought into the home and decorated with red paper roses, apples and gold tinsel. In those days, families trudged through the forest to find the perfect tree.
While many families continue that same tree-hunting tradition, others choose to buy a living tree instead of chopping one down.
A living Christmas tree is certainly one way to keep the holiday spirit alive all year. There are just a few things to remember for keeping your tree healthy through the holiday and into the new year.
When deciding on a living Christmas tree, be sure it will fit your landscape—and inside your house, too. Keep in mind a balled-and-burlap or container-grown tree will be heavy, so make sure you can move it easily or get help to prevent harming your tree or your back.
The trees are usually wrapped in burlap or set in a container, and they need to spend a limited amount of time indoors. Accustom the tree to the indoors by moving it into a cooler place first, like the garage or sheltered patio.
Then move it into the house for the holiday. Place it in the coolest part of the house, away from heating vents and fireplaces. Protect delicate branches with light-weight ornaments and miniature lights. The tree should be indoors for only 5-7 days.
Trees need to be watered and the soil kept moist. A good method is to place the root ball or container in a large tub with a two-inch layer of gravel on the bottom to keep the tree from sitting in water.
After the holiday, plant the tree as soon as possible. That means you probably will have to have the site selected in advance and the planting hole dug early to avoid trying to plant when the ground may be frozen. Save the soil in a place where it won’t freeze, because you’ll need it for planting.
Give the tree a little time to get readjusted to the outdoors by keeping it in the garage or sheltered area for several days.
Plant the tree using the best practices for all tree planting. It’s important to give the tree roots a good start. Roots need room to spread out and they need oxygen to survive. Without adequate rooting space, a tree’s growth will be limited.
Dig a saucer-shaped planting hole that is at least three times the size of the root ball. The hole should be shallow (no deeper than the root ball) and wide. Planting too deep slows root growth and can harm the tree.
Set the root ball on undisturbed soil 1-2 inches above the soil grade. Remove the burlap or container before planting. Remove wire tree baskets once the tree is in the planting hole.
Backfill the hole with the saved soil in layers, firming each layer. Water in and apply several inches of mulch like pine needles, straw or bark chips on top of the root ball. Consider staking the tree to prevent wind damage. In the summer you may be able to remove the stakes.
Keep your new tree watered through the winter, at least once a month or more frequently if the weather is dry and warm.
Baby your tree for the first few years to make sure it stays healthy for many Christmases to come.
