Balled & Burlap Christmas Tree recommended care:
Using a living Christmas tree in your home is a wonderful option and does come with the additional bonus of being able to plant the tree in your landscape when you are finished enjoying it indoors. However, while the majority of people find great success in transplanting their trees after Christmas it is certainly not a guarantee that your tree is going to survive the transition from indoors to outdoors. Listed below are our recommendations for using balled & burlap trees indoors during Christmas.
1. First and foremost we generally don’t recommend keeping your tree indoors for more than about two weeks time. Several of our customers keep them indoors longer than that and have found success so it is possible . . . just not our recommendation.
2. When you bring your tree indoors purchase a large rubber or metal tub (we purchase ours at Tractor Supply) that you can place the tree in while it is inside. You can then purchase some type of river rock/gravel to place around the tree to stabilize it once it is in place.
3. As these trees are not light we have found that placing the tub and the tree on top of a low dolly makes it much easier to move them around. Certainly not necessary . . . just an option.
4. Once your tree is in place you will want to keep it hydrated. There is no set amount of water for this. You MUST keep the root ball moist throughout the entire time it is indoors. This does NOT mean keep it in standing water. It means you need to water your tree every day or so with an adequate amount of water. If water is accumulating at the bottom of the tub for more than 30 minutes or so you are overwatering. On the other hand if the root ball is dry you need to increase the amount. The amount of water your tree will need will depend on the conditions (i.e. tree is in a sunny window, home is heated with a wood stove, etc) and temperature in your home. Typically 1-2 gallons of water a day is likely going to be adequate. However, this does not mean that is the perfect amount for your situation . . . check on your tree frequently!
5. When you are finished enjoying your tree indoors it is best to acclimate it back outdoors. If you take the tree from a 70 degree indoor temperature to a 20 degree night in January you are likely going to shock it. Even if this shock doesn’t kill the tree it certainly isn’t going to help it. Remember they are not warm blooded mammals . . . they are plants. It is best for you to leave it in your garage for a period of 3-4 days, roll it in and out of the house (an advantage of having a dolly under the tub) if you do not have a garage, or try to time it so you can take it outdoors during a possible warmer spell in January if you can.
6. Plant the tree as soon as you can, leaving the top of the root ball 1-2 inches above the ground and mounding the dirt up over the top of the burlap. DO NOT TAKE THE WIRE BASKET AND BURLAP OFF THE TREE. That is a very big mistake. It is necessary however to remove all strings from the root ball once it has been planted.
7. You will actually need to water the tree upon planting despite it being winter. If the ground is dry and we get a cold wind chill your tree will “chap” the same way our skin does under those conditions. You may also need to water it periodically if we are having a dry winter.
8. And other than that we hope you enjoy your tree and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Sincerely,
The Kinseys