Three Live Christmas Tree Tips
This is a special time of year! The holiday season is here and we love it for so many reasons, but as a garden center, our favorite part is when Christmas Trees arrive and we get to help everyone who visits Glover Nursery find the right tree for their home. We’ve talked about the environmental benefits of choosing a “real” Christmas tree as opposed to a manufactured one, but when it comes to real trees, there are more choices to be made!
We provide both Fresh Cut and Live Christmas Trees but what is the difference? We’ll tell you
Fresh Cut Christmas Trees
- Similar to flowers in a bouquet, fresh-cut trees are cut off from the root ball.
- As long as they are provided with a water source you can keep them in your home for 4-5 weeks.
- They cannot be replanted.
Live Christmas Trees
- They have the root ball intact
- They can be replanted after Christmas.
- They should only be kept inside for up to five days.
Both of these real Christmas Tree options will make for beautiful decor and provide that fresh pine smell that we all love over the holidays. They each need different types of care and preparation so here are some of our best tips if you chose to go with a Live Tree, that you can plant in your yard after Christmas is over, keeping the magical memories alive:
Dig The Hole Early
This is important because if you wait too long and the ground freezes, you won’t be able to plant your tree. Keep track of temperatures and makes sure to dig the hole before the first hard freeze. A tree planting rule of thumb is to dig a hole the depth of the root ball and two times the diameter. If you don’t already know the size of your tree and safe place to start is about 2 feet wide and 1 ½ feet deep. Keep the dug-up dirt in a bucket and make sure to store it somewhere it won’t freeze.
Keep the Rootball Moist 
In order to keep your Live Christmas Tree alive while it is indoors, the rootball must always be kept moist. A tip to keep the root ball moist but not overwatered is to display it in a watertight container and use ice cubes that will melt over time.
Have a Transitionary Space
Bringing a live tree indoors from the cold and then back outside again in a few days’ time can send it into shock. Before bringing the tree inside (and then again when you bring it back inside) store it in a garage, shed, or sheltered area to allow the tree to get acclimated. When you are displaying the tree in your home, make sure to keep it away from heat sources and vents as well.
More and more families are choosing a Live Christmas Tree for their holiday decor. They may require a little extra effort but it’s a great way to savor the wonderful memories of the holidays every time you see the tree growing in your yard. For more information on Live Christmas Trees, watch this video with Ryan Glover.
