Guide to Caring For Your Living Christmas Tree

Are you wondering what kind of Christmas tree to get this year? Fresh cut trees are beautiful and fill your home with that delightful fresh pine scent, while artificial trees are reliable, pre-lit, and don't require any watering. Both are great options.

However, fresh-cut trees can drop needles, need lots of water, and then you have to find a way to recycle it after Christmas (assuming your town has a recycling program). Artificial trees start to look worn and decidedly less bushy after a few years, and sometimes the lights can't be replaced. Finally, they're unrecyclable, so they end up in the landfill when we're finished with them.

Then, there's the best of both worlds; living Christmas trees! A living tree comes with its root system wrapped up in burlap or in a pot. After Christmas, you can place it outside and either plant it or keep it in a pot and enjoy it again next year. Trees in pots do need quite a bit of extra care, so be prepared to baby yours a bit if you decide to keep it potted.

A Guide to Living Christmas Tree Indoor Care

Living Christmas trees also need a little bit more attention during the holiday season. They should be left outside as long as possible, and only kept inside for a couple of weeks. We recommend they don't stay indoors for longer than three weeks.

Choosing and Prepping Your Tree

When choosing your tree, keep in mind that they are quite a bit heavier than cut trees because they have the root ball and soil attached. You may want to choose something a little smaller than you usually would, so it's still easy to move around. It's also important to figure out the best location in your yard to place the tree if you plan to plant it out in the spring.

When you’ve selected your preferred specimen, cut any stray limbs off from the bottom to get it looking nice and tidy.

Moving Your Tree Indoors

Your tree should have several days of transition before coming inside. It's best to leave it in the garage for up to a week before it comes inside. This way, your tree won't go through too much shock when transitioning from the freezing outdoors to your warm and cozy living room.

Once your tree is placed where you want it, add some heavy rocks or bricks to the container to keep it stable and prevent the container from tipping. Be sure to place the pot for your living Christmas tree inside a watertight tub or large container to keep water runoff away from the tree roots—and your floors!

Light & Temperature

During the day, keep the blinds open near your tree to give it a needed dose of sunshine. It's also essential to make sure you place it somewhere in your house with a consistent, stable temperature. To keep from drying out too quickly, place them away from vents, heaters and fireplaces.  A cool spot near a window is ideal.

Watering Your Tree

While indoors, your Christmas tree will need to be watered every day. When watering, water slowly from the top of the root ball. One way to do this is to fill the container with ice cubes each day. The ice will slowly melt throughout the day, giving your tree a slow trickle of moisture.

Be gentle when decorating, as heavy ornaments may damage the branches. LED lights are recommended for living trees as they don't put out as much heat as traditional bulbs, so they don't dry out the needles as fast.

Moving Your Living Christmas Tree Outside

We have three popular types of living Christmas trees in Northwest Arkansas. They are Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, and White Pine. All of these will transition well to the outdoors after Christmas.

Transitioning to the Outdoors

Your tree will also need an adjustment period after Christmas to acclimate back to winter weather. On December 26th, move it back into the garage for a few days.

Prepping the Planting Site

Dig your planting hole as early as possible—well before December 26th if possible, on a nice day when the soil is easier to work with.

Planting Your Tree

Once your tree is acclimated to the weather, you can place the tree in the hole. Cut the strings from around the trunk, pull the pins out of the burlap, and lay the top back. Go ahead and leave the burlap itself on the tree. Fill the soil around the root ball halfway and water it well. Then, form a “well” using the extra soil around the root ball—this will direct water close to the root ball. Fill the well several times, allowing it to soak in between waterings. Continue to water the tree 3-4 times per week throughout the year. Give your tree a dose of fertilizer in the spring and fall.

Keeping Your Tree in a Pot

If the ground is too frozen to dig your hole, find a sheltered place near the house, preferably on the south side. It's a good idea to wrap the pot with several layers of burlap or horticultural fabric to guard it as much as possible from freezing, and then add a layer of mulch to the top of the pot. You'll still need to water it regularly through the winter, so keep checking on it.

Why not experiment with something new this year and try a living Christmas tree? You can keep it in the pot and enjoy it again next year (though you'll want to consider permanent planting outdoors after that), or pick a spot to plant it into your yard in the spring. Over time, trees add significantly to your property value, and they can reduce your utility bills— a live tree is a win-win, no matter how you think about it!

Visit one of our garden center locations today, and we can help you choose the best living Christmas tree variety for your family. We'll give you all the care guidelines you need to keep your tree thriving until you're ready to give it a permanent home in your yard.

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