Live Tree Care for the Holidays

ive trees require extra maintenance and some compromises, but are more than worth it. They can provide joy at the holiday season indoors and later, in your yard.

Don't plan to keep the live tree inside for an extended period--a few days, to a week maximum, is better for the tree. Bring the tree indoors gradually, and take it back out that way also. A drastic change from very cold outdoor temperatures to indoor warmth can stress a live tree. Start with a sheltered but unheated or cooler space. Place it in a garage or entryway first, or a basement, for a day, or at least overnight.

Water carefully; do not allow the tree to dry out, but do not over-water it either. Over-watering can cause root rot. Ed Mullins, a live tree grower, suggests placing the root ball in a large bucket or tub and keeping it moist, but not soggy.

There's that traditional image in Christmas cards--a room with a cozy fire, and a garlanded tree beside it, but wait! What's wrong with this picture? If you have a live tree, don't put it near that fireplace! Too much heat is not healthy for a live tree indoors.

Actually, I wouldn't position a cut tree near the fireplace, either. Think safety--keep that tree where it cannot possibly be knocked over into a live flame, and keep it away from extra heat. A cool room is better for a live tree.

I know it's customary to decorate the tree with twinkling lights. However, electric lights generate heat--not good for the live tree indoors. A possible compromise is to place the twinkling lights in a window or door and position the tree so the lights frame it, without touching the tree. This way, you get the cheerful twinkling near the tree, without actual contact.

Another way to light the tree without overheating it is to shine a rotating color wheel on it--these are available at holiday decoration departments. Remember to position the light at a distance from the tree, not right at its base. Also place the light and its cord where it will not get tripped over. If you have a household member who is not sighted, or expect such a visitor, be sure to let them know what changes you have made to the room's layout, so that they can navigate the new arrangement successfully.

If a color wheel is not available, try a spotlight lamp with a colored party light bulb. Check the lamp you are using first, though. Be sure to get a bulb that's compatible with the lamp fixture. Some spotlight lamps only use a specific type of bulb, and a standard household bulb in the wrong socket could become an unintended hazard. Be sure your bulb is a good match for the lamp.

Or if you have a mirror ball--one of those rotating dance decorations--putting it up in the same room as the tree is another way to add sparkle without having a heat source touching the tree. A live tree bathed in colored sparkling light is an effective compromise that helps keep your tree healthier.

Live trees also do better without long strands of decorations that can become tangled in their branches. You can put garland strands around picture frames or bookcases instead of on the tree, and still have them up, decorating the room. Instead of garland, use individual ribbon bows--they are much easier to remove.

Remember, this tree will be planted outdoors later, so you will need to thoroughly clear it of all decorations. Better to skip the tangly tinsel strands here, too. Craft stores sell sparkly pompom balls now--pick up a bag of those, instead. Take a needle, and run a loop of thread through the middle of the pompom. Tie a knot on the bottom to hold it from slipping through, put an ornament hook on the thread loop, and hang it on the tree. This gives you a sparkly decoration in a compact shape, and it's also much easier to remove afterward than strands of tinsel.

If you like to string popcorn or cranberries for the tree, instead of one long strand, try six inch sections and tie them into loops, with a bow where the ends tie together. Again, you get the color and texture with much less tangling.

You'll need to dig the hole for your tree on a day when the ground is thawed. This can be done ahead of time, but don't leave an open hole that someone can fall into. Temporarily fill the hole with bark mulch. Mulch can be readily scooped back out when it's time to plant, and then can be used around the newly planted tree to protect its roots.

Position your tree so it has room to grow--place it away from houses and other structures. Evergreens can be located along a boundary to provide natural privacy screening. It's also advisable to place them far enough back from the border that they will not overhang your neighbor's yard later. Joe next door may not want the falling needles and cones, so make sure to plant where they will land on your own ground.

Sad but true advice--be aware that some people have lost their live trees to vandals the next year, when a thief came by, cut them down, and took them for Christmas trees. If you live in a high-risk neighborhood, you may need to safeguard your tree by allowing it to grow into a less conical shape. Or, if it's a choice between losing a limb, or losing the tree, prune off a limb where it makes the tree less symmetrical. Better a lopsided tree than a cut stump. (I hate to bring a sad note into a joyous season, yet it's better to know in advance than to learn by loss.)

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This article © 2000-2005 Peg Fisher, used by permission.

Categories: Christmas, holiday, holidays, tree, Christmas_tree, holiday_tree, live_tree