Extend the holiday spirit long past Christmas. Bring home a live tree!
By: Mayank Malik
Tags: Eco Friendly, Sustainable, Gardening, Christmas Tree, Holidays

It’s time to start thinking about buying your Christmas tree, and you really have three options to choose from 1) a cut tree on a stand, 2) a live tree, or 3) a plastic tree. I’m just going to ignore option 3 cuz… hmm plastic. Let’s talk about why between a cut tree and a live tree, you may want a live tree, and once you have one, how to take care of it.

A live tree is fresher and more fragrant. Once planted in your yard, it’ll remind you of the holidays for years to come. Most of all, and this may be obvious, a live tree is not dead.

Live trees do have their drawbacks too. They cost more and they don’t like being indoors for too long. Most live Christmas trees will tolerate no more than a week indoors. So if you like decorating your Christmas tree early, a live tree may not be a good choice for you. But let’s remind ourselves, a live tree, is well… alive! You can plant it in soil, watch it grow, and reflect on your Holiday memories for years to come.

To ensure that your tree thrives long past the holidays, you need to learn how to select a tree, when to bring it indoors for Christmas, how to care for it, and how to plant it outside.

How to choose a live Christmas tree?

Garden centers sell all types of cone-shaped trees for Christmas but the species traditionally used for live Christmas trees are Pines, Spruce, and Firs.

To ensure your live Christmas tree keeps blooming, choose a variety that can grow well in your area. Decide what the mature height and width of the plant should be and where you will plant it.

Make sure you are buying a healthy stock — the tree should not be in poor shape. Be vigilant and check it for:

Appealing needles — avoid trees with random browning of older needles at the base of the tree Soft flexible branching — avoid trees with stiff, inflexible, and/or swollen lateral branches Disease — avoid trees with reduced or stunted growth, poor color, and/or dead branches at the base of the tree Pest damage — avoid trees with swollen, yellow needles or trees with rusty and bronze colors near the base of needles Rooting — avoid root balls that do not show healthy roots coming out or ones that are too dry

A healthy Christmas tree should look like this:

A dull tree in poor shape will look like this:

How to take care of the tree once you bring it home?

Your tree must rest outdoors for at least 3–4 days but must be protected from constant sun rays and strong winds. Some people also spray anti-desiccant or anti-wilt products on their live trees. It can help the tree retain its moisture and reduce needle loss.

When to bring the tree indoors? How long can you keep it in your home?

The best time to bring a live tree indoors is 2–3 days before Christmas, i.e. 22rd -23rd December, and in any case, it should be moved outdoors latest by 28th December. The temperatures inside our homes are not apt for trees to grow, keeping the tree indoor any longer will only reduce its survival rate. Do not place the tree near heat. Heat sources like space heaters, fireplaces, wood stove, televisions, etc. speed up evaporation and promote moisture loss, drying out the tree and hindering its growth. Keep it moist so that it can retain moisture and stay fresh.

How to take care of the tree after moving it outdoor?

When you move the tree outdoors, do not plant it in ground immediately. A tree that is kept indoors for long is unlikely to survive if planted as soon it is brought outdoors. Give it some time to readjust to the outdoor climate. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight and high winds, and make sure the root ball is moist but not wet.

How to plant the tree?

I recommend digging a planting hole for your tree in advance (as early as November) especially if you live in the areas where the ground will be frozen during Christmas. The size of the hole must be twice the diameter of the root ball of the tree you will bring home. Once the tree is placed in the ground, add compost and mulch to help it retain moisture, and water it well. Monitor the soil for the next few days, don’t let it dry. The soil should be kept moist for the tree to properly establish itself.

Once established, your living Christmas tree will bring you years of joyous memories long after the holidays season.

Happy holidays and happy gardening!