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 Live Trees
Choosing a live tree
can be confusing. With all the different varieties available you may
want to consider a couple of things before making your decision.
Where are you going to plant after the holidays is the first
consideration. How much room you have can help you narrow the field down.
For those of you who have lot's of room. You may want to consider a
white pine. White pines are available in three grades, a park grade
which is unsheared. A nursery grade with a good shape and last the
christmas or the heavy sheared. A norway spruce is a very
nice choice if you like the shorter needles. Or for a different look
and some color the blue spruces are an excellent choice.
You may have noticed I have't mentioned any fir trees. There
is a reason for that. Most firs prefer a cooler climate than ours (zone 5).
If this is what you really want, talk to your local nursery they will
be able to tell you if there is a variety available that may be able
to withstand our warmer climate.
 For those of us with
smaller areas there are still some nice choices available. My favorite
is the "baby blue eyes" spruce, this is a exceptionally nice spruce.
Staying smaller normally within the 12 to 15 feet range.
Alberta spruces are sometimes chosen as a christmas tree.
These are great for foundation plantings. Staying under 10 feet with
little need of shaping. Canadian Hemlocks are also thought of for the
smaller areas, however this plant wants to be big, so be prepared to
shear this one often in order to keep it smaller.
Now for a few pointers to help your tree survive. By the
time you buy your tree in December it is already in its dormant stage.
It's best to keep it outdoors until a few days before christmas. Three
days indoors is the recommended time period. One week at the most is
what the tree can stand. Place the tree in a large tub, adding mulch
will help it to hold water. You want to keep the root ball damp, but not
standing in water.
While your tree is inside, keep the room as cool as possible.
Lights should be of a low heat variety. This is for your safty as well
as the tree's health. After the holidays are over, move the tree to an
unheated outbuilding or a sheltered location for a few days. This will give the tree a
chance to adjust to the cooler temps outside. If you can't plant immediately
pile lot's of mulch around the root ball to protect the roots from freezing,
the is the most common cause of death in live christmas trees.
on to Fresh Cut Trees
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