How to Care For a Live Potted Christmas Tree

With reforestation being one of the most significant ways to sequester carbon, a live Christmas tree is far better than cutting one or purchasing a new plastic tree. However, it only works if you keep it alive, so there are a few essential tips to keep in mind. These tips will help you care for your tree and ensure it survives the season, allowing you to either plant it permanently or keep it in a pot and use it again next Christmas.

Acclimatizing the Tree to Indoors

Keeping a live potted Christmas tree indoors requires more attention than a cut tree. The roots need to be kept moist, and the tree must be watered frequently. A good rule of thumb is to water once a week.

Before purchasing a living tree, check with your local nurseries to find out which varieties are best suited to live in your region’s climate. Your tree should be stored outdoors or in a cool, unheated place. Then when you are ready to bring it in for decorating, move the tree into a cool area of your home, like a garage, for a couple of days prior. This will allow the tree to acclimate to the environment in the house with the least amount of shock.

Once the tree has acclimated for a couple of days, place it away from heat sources such as radiators, baseboard heaters or forced air ducting.

Watering

Keeping a live potted Christmas tree alive requires some careful watering. You want to ensure you’re not overwatering the plant, which can cause brown needles or mould. Instead, you’ll want to ensure the roots get “just enough” water. An easy way to test is by sticking your finger in the soil. If the soil is wet to the touch, reduce watering; if it is dry to the touch, increase the watering frequency or amount. If it is damp but not wet, it is just right. The pot should be well drained – you do not want the roots to stand in water.

Generally, homes are arid and warm environments, so you’ll probably need to water the tree daily (using the guidelines above). You can top-dress the soil with mulch to retain moisture, and a large saucer under the pot will prevent water from overflowing and damaging carpet or flooring.

Saving your tree for next year

An evergreen Christmas tree can survive inside over the holidays, but they need to go back outside to remain healthy. When the tree goes back outside after Christmas, it may go dormant, depending on your local climate. If so, then the watering will be infrequent. If you live in a warmer climate, the tree will require a watering schedule similar to any other potted plant in your garden. Local nurseries or garden centres will likely be able to offer advice.

Keeping a live potted Christmas tree alive will require a little more care than a  regular potted plant. It’s essential to place a living tree in a place conducive to growth, depending on the species. Some prefer full sun, while others prefer shade. This information is available from any nursery or garden centre.

Repotting can help a potted tree to thrive during the other 10-11 months of the year when it is not inside, but too big of a pot will allow the tree to grow quickly. If it grows too quickly, it will become lanky, with large gaps between branches and may not have the appearance you prefer in a Christmas tree.

If you decide to trim a tree, never cut the main center stem (or the crown) on the top of the tree. This will cause the tree to divide its stem and will permanently alter the appearance of the tree.

Planting it in the ground

If, after 2-3 years of careful potted Christmas tree care, you decide that it is getting too big to bring into your home or you have to move away, it’s time to start looking for a place to plant it.

Finding a location to plant your tree is not as simple as it might seem initially. If you want this tree to survive for the long term and store as much carbon as possible, selecting the right location will ensure a long life. Some considerations are public or private property (will the property owner object to a tree being planted), will it be safe from future development, is there enough (but not too much) groundwater to allow it to thrive? Is the location far enough away from overhead wires, buildings or other trees so that it will not encroach and eventually be required to be removed?

Once you have found an appropriate location, the second step is to prepare the ground for planting. In addition to removing the pot and any plastic wrap, you should loosen the soil’s roots (but don’t allow it to all fall away). Then dig a hole at least as wide as the root ball, preferably more. Using the dirt from the hole, mix with coconut coir, leaf mould, or commercially made potting soil to lighten the soil and help it to retain water. Backfill the hole with the amended soil and pack it tightly around the root ball. Ensure to water it well for the first week and less frequently afterward, increasing as required in hot, dry weather until the tree is well and truly rooted.

Caring for a potted live Christmas tree takes a little more effort than a cut tree, but it is worth it. It is a fun and engaging way for you and your family to enjoy a favourite Christmas tradition while doing something good for the environment. Every tree stores carbon, and in a lifetime, we could each contribute many trees and, in so doing, become a part of the solution our planet so desperately needs right now.