DIY Network

Live Tree for the Holidays From "Special Presentation" episode DADA-214

Figure A

Q: How can I keep my Christmas tree alive through the entire holiday season?

A: (from DIY's gardening expert, Walter Reeves) There's basically a one-word answer to that question, and that word is "water." In order for a live evergreen (figure A) to stay green throughout the holiday season, it's essential that plenty of water is continuously moving up through the vascular system of the tree. Here are some tips on keeping a cut tree looking its best for a long while, and also for keeping a "ball and burlap" tree (which you can later plant outdoors) looking its best as well.

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Figure B

• For purchasing a cut tree, most people just go to a nearby tree lot, but you do have another option. At tree farms, you can wander up and down rows of hundreds of living trees and pick just the one you want. Then you can cut it yourself or pay a small fee to have one of the caretakers cut it for you (figure B).

• If you opt for the simpler route of going to a tree lot, the important question to ask is how long ago the trees were cut. Some dealers cut trees as much as eight weeks prior to the holiday season, and the trees can dry out substantially in that time. Some trees have tags that tell the date they were cut. Look for one as fresh as possible.
  
  
• A simple way to check for freshness is to grasp a limb gently, and pull your hand along the length of the limb (figure C) to see how many needles fall off. Brittle and loose needles are a sure sign of a dry tree. You can also check for loose needles by shaking and jarring the tree slightly to see how many fall off.

• Wrap your tree in plastic or cloth for transporting it home -- especially if you're tying your tree to the top of your vehicle or carrying it an open-bed pickup. The wind from driving at 60mph or so can dry a tree's foliage out quickly.

• When you get your tree home, use pruners or limb-cutters to remove the bottom limbs from around the base (figure D) to make it easier to place the tree in the stand

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  
• Most important, the bottom of the tree trunk should be cut freshly before placing the tree in the stand. Only a freshly cut trunk will able to absorb the amount of water needed to keep the tree looking fresh. Many tree lots will cut the base off for you at the time you buy your tree. If they do not, or if your tree sits outside for a couple of days before you place it in water, go ahead and cut off an inch or so from the base using a saw (figure E) or chainsaw.

  The fresh cut (figure F) will absorb water from the tree stand at a surprising rate. A medium- to large-sized tree may absorb as much as a gallon of water in a day. Place the tree in a tree stand and water it immediately after making the fresh cut.

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

• Purchasing a live evergreen with a rootball attached (figure G) from a nursery will allow you to enjoy a living tree during the holidays, then extend your happy holiday memories by planting the tree and letting it grow in your yard. An easy way to display a living tree like this indoors is to place the rootball in a galvanized tub (figure H). The tub will protect your floor and will function to hold the water in as you water the tree.

  Figure G

  Figure H

  
  

  For that authentic Christmas feel, nothing can take the place of a live Christmas tree.

• Important: Keep a living tree with a rootball indoors for no more than five to seven days. If you keep it indoors in a warm house much longer than that, the tree may come out of its winter dormancy.

• Tip: Don't fill the container holding your living tree's rootball with water, as this much water may drown the root system. An easy way to water the rootball the proper amount is to wrap ice in a towel and place it onto the top of the rootball. As the ice slowly melts, the water will be absorbed gradually by the roots.