Gardening Tips - Winter

Living Christmas Trees

So you can't see the point of putting up a dead tree in your living room for Christmas. Not to worry, we have just the perfect fix for you, a living Christmas tree. Yes, you can take that living tree to the living room. Decorate it like any other Christmas tree, you'll never notice the difference, nor will the guests at your Christmas party (that is, unless you want to tell them what you've done). We offer six different styles of pine, four different styles of spruce, plus arborvitae and upright junipers (don't laugh, people do use them).

But this isn't a decision that should be taken lightly, there needs to be some advanced planning. People start shopping for Christmas trees the weekend of Thanksgiving. Selection is great then, but it's too early to take a living tree inside. It'll begin to think its spring and start to put on new growth. Select your tree first (consider the root ball on your selection. That six foot tree may have a two foot tall root ball making for an eight foot tree in your house.), pay for it now to hold it, and pick it up later on in December. Then go dig your hole. If you wait, the ground may be too frozen to dig. Store your backfill dirt in the garage and put a board over or fill your hole with leaves. Locate a washtub or something like it to place your tree in (if you purchased a balled and burlaped tree; a saucer if you get a container tree), you'll have to water while the tree is inside. Some have used just a good plastic bag to guard against water runoff. Time your pick up to match your schedule. A living tree should not spend any more that a week in your house to keep it dormant. The placement of a tree inside should be as well thought out as placing it outside. A living tree can be heavy, so going up and down flights of stairs isn't the best of ideas unless you like to exercise. Keep your tree away from the heat registers. Make sure that the root ball stays moist. After your holiday festivities, place the tree in the garage for a few days to let it acclimate to the current weather. After that, plant. Be sure to use compost, gypsum, root stimulator, and water in well. If the winter is a dry one (less that an inch of rain or a foot of snow) go out and water once a month.