Caring for your Christmas Tree

Fresh Cut Trees

Fresh cuts are made to each tree after purchase or at the time of delivery. The fresh cut is only good for a few hours; to prevent the sap from sealing the bottom of the tree, place the tree in room temperature tap water as soon as you bring it home.

We strongly suggest that you do not decorate your tree until you are sure the tree is drinking water.  This could take a few hours, sometimes overnight.  Not only do you want to ensure that the tree is drinking (to keep it fresh), but also so the branches can relax enough for you to start decorating.

A tree can drink up to one quart of water per inch of its trunk diameter, so many tree stands may need to be refilled every few hours for the first 12 to 24 hours.  Set yourself up with a holiday movie and some snacks for the first night and set a timer as a reminder to check the water level in the basin.

After the first night, the rate at which the tree absorbs water will slow down and the basin may only have to be topped off once a day, but to be on the safe side check the water in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed.

If for some reason your tree is not drinking any water you can refresh the tree by making a straight cut, taking one inch off the stump and immediately place in water. This is ideal as long as the tree has not been decorated yet.

As a last resort, if your tree ends up getting dried out in its stand and you have already decorated it, you can try drilling some shallow holes at the base and refilling with water.

Any tree not drinking water within the first 48 hours can be returned for an exchange with proof of purchase.

You don’t need anything other than room temperature tap water.  Commercially prepared mixes or aspirin, sugar and other additives are not necessary. Research and personal experience has shown that plain tap water will keep a tree fresh. Fresh cut trees, if properly cared for, can last for up to five weeks before drying out.  As a reminder trees are live organisms, that means they are unpredictable and some tree species may last longer than others.

 

Live Potted Trees

Find a location

If you plan on planting your live potted tree outside after Christmas, we advise digging the hole early, before the ground freezes.  Find an area of your yard that provides protection from harsh western winds and potentially damaging southern sun. Make sure that your chosen location is far away from any roads or sidewalks that will be treated with salt because some tree species can be extremely sensitive to the substance- even in the air.

Prepare the site

Make sure the hole you dig is wider than the pot that the tree comes in, and the same depth as the root system.  Once you have dug a hole in the ground cover it with something like a piece of plywood, so water and debris stays clear from the hole.  You may want to get a bag of compost to mix with the soil you remove from the hole you create for planting.  You can also get a few bags of mulch to spread around after planting.  Place the soil from the hole you dug along with compost and mulch in the garage and cover it to prevent freezing as you will need this later for planting.

Indoor care

Once you take your potted evergreen inside put a large saucer under your tree and slowly water the tree regularly.  Keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet. Your tree is in the process of going dormant for the winter and will not need as much moisture as a tree during the spring and summer.You can purchase a moisture meter to probe the soil to help you gauge how often you may need to water. The temperature in your house may play a role as to how often you may need to water your tree. You should check the saucer each time before you water to make sure it is dry before add any more water to the tree so it does not spill over the tray. Use a humidifier in the room to help keep the live tree moist.

Planting

Do not attempt to plant the tree on a severely cold day, as the tree will be shocked by the temperature difference from indoors to outside. Instead, choose a mild day to lessen the temperature shock.
Plant the tree in your pre-dug hole, backfill the hole with the dirt and compost mix water all around the tree and spread mulch around the root area.  Do not remove the peat container, plant it so the top rim is level with the soil line and break the rim off.  If we do not get snow, the tree will still require watering. Our Tree & Shrub department recommends buying a large bag of ice and placing the ice cubes around the base of the tree to water in as the ice melts. As soon as you bring your hoses outdoors for spring, give your tree a big drink of water.

Final thoughts

Even though evergreens are tough plants try to limit the amount of time the tree is indoors to a few weeks. Long exposure to indoor temperatures can disrupt the tree’s natural cycle.  Due to unfavorable conditions we do not warranty any live potted evergreen.