How to Choose a Living Christmas Tree

If you enjoy the look and smell of a live Christmas tree, but dislike the idea of cutting down a tree only to throw it away when Christmas is over, you may want to consider buying a living Christmas tree. A living Christmas tree is one with the roots still attached, and can be kept in a pot during the holidays and planted outdoors once Christmas is over. In order to ensure that your tree will survive being planted after the holiday season, it is important to choose a healthy tree that is suitable for your environment. Following the steps below will enable you to enjoy your living Christmas tree for many years to come.

Instructions

How to Choose a Living Christmas Tree

1. Learn as much as possible about tree maintenance and care, and plan ahead before selecting your living Christmas tree. Living Christmas trees require quite a bit of maintenance to keep them healthy during the holiday season. Because they come with the roots still attached, they are considerably heavier than cut trees, and you need to make certain you will be able to carry your tree home. The large size of living Christmas trees means you must be careful when selecting where in your home your tree will be placed. If you do not have the space for a living Christmas tree, or have no way to transport it without causing damage to yourself or to the tree, a living tree might not be the best choice.

2. Determine the type of tree that is best suited for your location. Because your living Christmas tree will be planted outside when the holiday season has ended, you must make certain that your tree will properly fit into your landscape. Soil type, average rainfall amounts, available ground space, and planting restrictions are all considerations when choosing the type of tree to purchase.

3. Shop around for a healthy tree that is the right size for your space. Do not settle on the first decent tree you come across, and do not be tricked into buying an unhealthy tree because it is on sale. Some discounted trees are of poor health, or are leftovers from the previous year. Your tree should be healthy to maximize the time you will have to enjoy it, and the garden center or store where you purchase your tree should be reputable and provide a guarantee that your tree will not fall apart the minute you bring it home.

4. Carefully inspect your tree before buying it to determine its condition and health. If you run your hands along the branches of the tree, no more than a few needles should fall to the ground. Needles should be green and firm, and should show no signs of yellowness or brittleness. Branches should be flexible, and you should be able to locate live buds on the tree. These are signs that your tree is healthy, and an absence of these signs could indicate that the tree is in poor health or has been improperly cared for at the store.

5. Ask about the condition of the tree, and attempt to determine how long the tree has been out of the ground. You should also check the soil your tree is potted in by using your fingertips to feel for softness and moistness. If the tree has not been properly watered, the soil will feel dry and hard. The root ball of the tree should be bound in burlap and tightly packed. Trees that have not been well cared for at the nursery or store are considerably less likely to survive.

Tips & Warnings

• If you like the idea of buying a living Christmas tree, but have no place to plant it once the holidays are over, check to see if you can donate it to a plant-a-tree organization.