Be Green: Bring Home a Live Christmas Tree

Bring a live Christmas tree into your house and connect with a long tradition.

  • Topics: Trees & Shrubs, Winter Care
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: christmas, holidays, live christmas trees, decorating
  • Date: November 2006

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Our live Christmas trees are in—spruces, pines and firs. Bring one into your house and connect with a long tradition.

During the Middle Ages, winter solstice plays used one prop: a live evergreen. But suppressing anything pagan, the Church quickly abolished street plays. So the people danced around live trees in the commons. The Church then passed a law forbidding people to dance around trees in public.

So villagers did what all sensible pagans would do. They brought their evergreen props indoors. And in our many varied ways we’ve adopted the same tradition.

As we approach the winter solstice with its varied celebrations, now is the time to select your live tree. Following are guidelines for bringing home a live Christmas and then planting it after all the dancing is done.

Before Buying

  • Choose the site. The staff at Santa Fe Greenhouses can help you with site requirements.

Preparing Planting Hole

  • Dig the hole before the ground freezes.
  • Dig hole the same depth but twice as wide as the container.
  • Amend the backfill soil; mound it and cover with plastic.

Storing the Tree

  • Keep lives trees outside in a wind-sheltered location.
  • Water it every 7 days.
  • Water it thoroughly the day before you take it inside the house.

Inside the House

  • Don’t keep your tree inside for more than 7 days. It could break its dormancy and then freeze once put outside again.
  • Set tree near cool window.
  • Keep root ball slightly moist.

After the Holidays

  • Keep tree in a wind-sheltered area for 2 weeks before planting it.
  • Continue to water the tree weekly.

Planting the Tree

  • Do not break root ball.
  • Center tree in hole.
  • Add amended backfill to hole.
  • Create water basin around the tree.
  • Water to saturate root ball.