Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Caring for Christmas trees, cut or living
Pre-decorated, “tabletop” trees are pretty and are a quick way to add holiday flair to your decor, but they can be kind of pricey. So — is there a life for them after the holidays are over?
“Yes!” says Stephen Winterfeldt, a horticulturalist with Jackson & Perkins, which sells an assortment of these decorative evergreens. “These are live trees, and can be planted outside. Many of them are dwarf Alberta spruce, which are very cold-hardy and will do well in Pennsylvania.”
He described the basics for keeping these little trees happy until it’s time to plant them outside. During the time they’re indoors, keep the soil moist. As soon as possible after the holidays, move the trees into a cooler area such as a garage or outbuilding that gets at least some light through a window. “These are northern trees,” Winterfeldt pointed out. “They don’t like prolonged warmth and dryness. Water them about once a week.”
The best time to plant the trees out of doors is when the soil can be worked in the spring, from March up to around Easter. They will do best in good soil that’s amended with organic material. Since spruce thrive in an acid soil, peat moss is a good option. The roots need a good footing, so be sure to mix the peat moss well with soil. Plant at the same soil level the trunk currently sits in soil in the pot. Water thoroughly, and mulch.
I wanted to know if these tabletop trees could also be used as outdoor decoration. “Certainly!” Winterfeldt replied. If doing that, however, he suggests placing the container in a larger planter, with either Styrofoam ‘peanuts’ or plastic bubble wrap between the tree’s pot and the planter to provide a layer of insulation. “Without any insulation, if temperatures go down into the upper teens or single digits the trees could freeze,” Winterfeldt said. He noted that the lights are rated for outdoor as well as indoor use, so rain
“These are live trees, and can be planted outside. Many of them are dwarf Alberta spruce, which are very coldhardy and will do well in Pennsylvania.” — Stephen Winterfeldt, a horticulturalist with Jackson & Perkins
and snow are not a problem.
“Do pay attention to what kind of tree you’re buying,” he cautioned. “Make sure it’s suited to your climate.” For instance, Jackson & Perkins’ Balsam and Berry Decorated Tree and its Natural Beauty Tree are both Italian stone pines, which are suited more for the southern United States. This is good to know if you’re planning to buy one of these trees for someone who lives in a different part of the country. Check the UDSA planting zone map, or ask when you order.
What about taking care of a cut Christmas tree in your house? A good experience with a pre-cut tree begins well before you take ownership of it. Says Allen Wilson, a retired professor of horticulture who blogs about gardening, some trees may have been cut more than a month ago. If you can, find out when the trees were cut and how they were transported, e.g., on an open flat-bed trailer, exposed to drying, or inside a closed van.
Some evergreens, such as firs, hold their needles better than others. Look for Douglas or frazier firs. Feel the needles to ensure they’re soft and flexible. Green needles should not fall off when you shake the tree.
Wilson cautions that the sooner a tree is placed in water, the better, so it’s wise to buy a pre-cut tree early in the season. If you can’t bring it indoors right away, cut off half an inch or so of the trunk, stand the tree in a bucket of water, and keep it in an unheated garage or shed.
Finally, a Christmas tree can absorb a gallon of water every couple of days, so check the water regularly. Spraying with WiltPruf reduces water loss. Live trees that you intend to eventually plant out should only be kept indoors for 10 to 12 days.