How do I care for my living Christmas tree?

Question

Okay, we just brought home our beautiful Chrirstmas tree. The roots are wrapped in plastic. Do I need to trim the tips of the roots before putting the tree into the potting soil in the pot? Or do I just toss it in, as is? How often do I water it?

Normally we have a cut tree, this will be our first year with a live one. Thanks for all the help and any other tips would be great. Happy Holidays!

Answer 1

Just remove the plastic and slightly loosen the roots. Be sure to plant it in a pot of adequate enough size for substantial root growth. 2 to 3 times the size of the root ball. Water until moist, then water frequently. Be sure not to drown the plant.

It would be good to place some pebbles or rocks at the base of the pot to allow for drainage. If not the roots may end up sitting in water and rot.

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Answer 2

If it is an outdoor tree for your area, do not plant it in a pot; just keep it in the plastic and put the undisturbed rootball it in a galvanized metal tub like you might use to wash your dog in. You can fill in around the rootball with gravel or wood mulch to allow you to stand it up straight. Put 3-4 holes in the bottom of the plastic to allow it to drain, and water it well about twice a week to keep the roots wet inside the plastic. When Christmas is over, gradually acclimatize it to the conditions outdoors by moving it first into a cool but not cold area like a garage, before planting it right out into the freezing cold. Your warm house may have made it think it's spring already and you don't want to shock it too badly. For this reason begin the move outside by way of the garage, immediately after Christmas. Don't keep it indoors any longer than you have to.
If your tree is an indoor tree like a Norfolk Island Pine, the advice of the other answerer is correct.

Answer 3

nicely, i do not comprehend if it is any convenience, even if the timber offered at commercial a lot come from tree farms. The timber are planted to be harvested at particular degrees of boom. the better timber were turning out to be better years and value better. So in case you purchase a tree from a commercial Christmas Tree lot, you're prepared to take some (chilly?) convenience in this. ...... on the potted tree theory: you want to bypass looking better. some can very last about 2 weeks interior if kept from a warmth source or sign in and watered good in the course of the stay interior. I fairly have seen some that advise spritzing the needles gently with water to help the needles not dry out and drop. even if it is in all likelihood that you'll use light fixtures on the tree and/or decorations that isn't take to being misted, so misting isn't very functional. An evergreen (with a pot/root ball) does take a 'marvel' from being taken interior. they don't look to be acclimated to the dry warmth in cutting-edge properties in iciness. i'd advise you look at categories accessible on your area and study on-line, what certain variety will be proper equipped to planting out after it is served as your Christmas tree. ... do not forget that in case you are able to acclimate over some days to the decrease outside temps back fairly than merely taking it out and planting it in the present day, you'll stay away from some needle drop from the marvel of temperature replace. ... once you do plant it out, in case you are able to position it in a fairly better secure area (secure adverse to direct wind fairly) your tree might want to have a better valuable danger of 'taking' and turning out to be. ... i imagine procuring a potted/root ball tree that you plant out after Christmas is nicely worth a attempt. I fairly have acquaintances who attempt this 3 hundred and sixty 5 days after 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. some years the tree 'takes' and different years they die. yet it is genuine in nature too - some timber proceed to exist to strengthen great and others do not. because it concerns to you, it would want to't damage to attempt it. ... bypass into it with lifelike expectancies and luxuriate on your Christmas season.