Replanting Your Christmas Tree
Ted Roberson
If you are in the market for a beautiful evergreen to be added
to your landscape, Christmas is a perfect time to begin
shopping. While most Christmas shoppers purchase a Christmas
tree that has already been chopped at the bottom, there are
several nurseries that offer live Christmas trees with the
roots still intact.
This means you can fill a space in your landscape with the
Christmas tree that you enjoyed all season long. This is also a
great way to recycle your Christmas tree instead of simply
throwing away one of natures precious resources.
The most important factor in finding a Christmas tree to
replant is to find a tree that will transplant well after the
holidays. Of course, the success of replanting a Christmas tree
truly lies in the hands of the nursery where you receive the
evergreen tree, as it is essential that they take extreme care
of the roots by immediately placing them in burlap once the
Christmas tree is removed from the ground.
A good nursery will also point you in the direction of a
healthy Christmas tree and will point out which evergreens do
best in replant situations. Most nurseries will suggest a pine,
spruce or fir, all hardy varieties of the evergreen.
Keep in mind that when you are purchasing a replant Christmas
tree, it will be more expensive than a tree that you will
purchase just for the holiday season. While trees can cost
anywhere from $30-$100 to purchase already chopped, a tree with
roots intact may cost between $50-$200.
Although you might want to save money, it really is better to
spend a little extra money and get a healthy, sturdy tree with
long branches and a large root ball so that you will have
transplant success.
Another important piece of advice regarding the replanting of
your Christmas tree is to give the tree a 3-4 day transitional
period in between the outdoors and indoors. This goes for both
bringing the Christmas tree home as well as returning it to the
outdoors. Otherwise your tree may suffer from shock because of
the drastic difference in temperature.
It is essential whether the tree is indoors or outdoors to keep
it covered with more than the burlap sack for moisture and
protection. You may want to try straw, a blanket, saw dust, or
even old towels or newspaper. Of course while the tree is
inside the home, the roots and the covering can be hidden by a
beautiful decorative tree skirt.
Whether the tree is inside or out, it will need to be watered
regularly to prevent it from drying up or dying. This will most
likely mean placing the root ball inside a large tub or bucket
so that the roots can suck up the necessary nutrients. Again,
this might be a tricky task while the tree is inside the home.
Horticulturists recommend that in order for your Christmas tree
replanting to go well, do not leave the tree in the home for any
longer than two weeks. If at all possible, try to limit the time
the tree is inside to a week or slightly longer. Once your
secondary transition period of 3-4 days is over, it is time to
plant the tree in the ground.
As long as your climate zone does not experience freezing early
in the winter season, you should have no problem planting the
tree right after the Christmas holiday. If you think your
climate zone may experience early freezing, then you may want
to pre-dig the hole for your root ball, although this may mean
guessing the size of the root ball.
Once you have replaced the soil, it is essential to water the
tree and mulch it to keep in the warmth of your newly
transplanted Christmas tree.
About The Author: Ted Roberson owner of landscape living is a
landscape and garden enthusiast who has years of experience
working and creating outdoor living areas. Discover how you can
improve and maintain your landscape garden area with simple
projects you can do around your home.
http://www.landscapeliving.com
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