Selecting a live balled and burlapped Christmas tree from Gasper Home & Garden Center is an excellent way to celebrate the holiday season while also enhancing your landscaping after the festivities are over. However, it requires a bit more effort and planning compared to choosing a freshly cut or artificial tree.
Care of the Tree in Your Home
Limit Time Inside To a Maximum of 10 Days
One of the most important tips to keeping a live Christmas tree healthy during its stay in your home is to make sure that the tree is not kept inside the house for more than 10 days. The reasoning behind this is that too long a stay in the warm interior temperatures of your home may trick the tree out of its natural winter dormancy.
For this reason, it is a good idea to transition your live tree into an unheated space that is sheltered from harsh sun and wind, such as a garage or porch, for two to three days before AND after its time in your home for the holidays. This helps the tree avoid the shock of going instantly from a relatively balmy 70 degrees indoors to the frigid temperatures of December and January outdoors.
Keep Your Tree Moist
It is essential that your live Christmas tree does not dry out when it is inside the house, so we recommend that the tree be watered daily. Make sure the tree is always moist, but avoid excessively soaking the tree.
Live trees in containers, such as our smaller potted evergreens, can remain in pots with a saucer to protect your floors or carpeting. For larger B&B trees, we suggest using a galvanized tub or a large bucket, which can be wrapped with a tree skirt or other decorative material. Placing the tub on a base with casters will help you move the heavy root ball through the house.
Keep Trees Away From Heat Sources
Keeping trees away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, heaters, and stoves, will prevent the trees from drying out and protect them from breaking dormancy or becoming a fire hazard. Ideally, trees should be placed in the coolest part of your house by a window.
Planting Your Tree After The Holiday Season
Dig the Hole For The Tree BEFORE Christmas
It is very important to consider the location where your live Christmas tree will be planted before Christmas to avoid the risk of the ground freezing. If possible, we would even suggest digging before Thanksgiving.
The Planting Hole Should Be Twice As Wide and As Deep As the Root Ball of the Tree
The planting hole should be approximately 4ft in diameter and 18” deep. We recommend placing the removed soil into buckets that you will store in a semi-heated space, such as your garage or basement, so that the soil will not be frozen when you go to plant the tree after the holidays.
The hole itself can be insulated with a bag filled with fallen leaves and covered with a piece of plywood so that no one accidentally steps or falls into the hole.
Think About the Mature Size of Your Christmas Tree
Norway Spruce & Colorado Blue Spruce, the two species of live Christmas trees we offer at Gasper, can grow 50+ ft. tall with a spread of 20 ft., so make sure you are planting them in a location with sufficient space to grow to their mature size. Both species also prefer to be planted in full sun.
Do Not Plant In Naturally Wet Areas
Evergreen trees prefer a well-drained site. Too much water can kill your tree over time or cause it to fail to thrive. Yellowing needles are a sign of too much water.
Leave Burlap Intact Until Final Planting
Leave the burlap intact until the tree is placed in the hole and ready to be planted. The tree should then be untied, and all the burlap cut off from the root ball. Lightly score the sides of the root ball to ensure roots grow out into the surrounding soil.
The Root Ball Should Be Level with the Surrounding Grade
Make sure that the root ball is level or slightly above the surrounding grade. When planted, you should see a slight flare at the base of the trunk, above the soil line. Trees planted too deeply can die or fail to thrive. Tamp the reserved soil around the tree with the end of your shovel.
Mulch the Tree
We recommend lightly mulching over the root ball to help prevent moisture loss during the winter. Keep the mulch away from the trunk. Because mulch may be hard to come by in the middle of the winter, we suggest you buy a bag of premium triple shredded bark mulch in the late fall and keep it in your garage until the time of planting.
Water Well
Although this can pose an issue with freezing temperatures, it is important to provide some water to your newly planted tree. Monitor moisture levels throughout the winter and provide additional moisture as daytime temperatures permit. Your tree will need to be watered through the upcoming spring and summer. Most plants become fully established within three years of planting and do not require supplemental watering, except under extreme drought conditions.
Understand Transplanting Dangers
It’s always disappointing when a tree does not make it. However, having a live tree growing indoors during the winter can be quite challenging. Despite our best efforts, sometimes live Christmas trees do not survive. This can be heartbreaking, especially when factors like harsh weather during planting or an unexpectedly dry winter come into play—conditions that are often beyond anyone’s control. This is why live Christmas trees are not sold with a warranty.
Spraying evergreens with anti-desiccants, such as Wilt Stop, before and after they are in your home can improve your trees’ chances of survival. Wilt Stop helps by sealing in and preventing moisture loss while the plant is indoors, as well as in the cold winter winds after planting. Feel free to discuss transplanting and proper planting techniques with our expert staff at Gasper’s Bucks County nursery and garden center at any time.
