Old-school Christmas tradition has the tree going up late Christmas eve, new-school tradition has it going up the weekend after thanksgiving.. who knows when the right time to put up the tree really is? Long story short, if you still haven’t got your tree up its not too late! There are still Christmas tree lots all over town and plenty of options for artificial trees at any department store. We want to give you a different option this year, a tree that keeps on giving long after the lights and festivities of Christmas have faded–living Christmas trees!
We offer a wide variety of potted evergreen trees that would make the perfect addition to your living room for the holidays. Once Christmas is over instead of tossing your tree or boxing it up until next year, why not plant it in the yard or keep it in a container on your patio? This is a great way to commemorate a special Christmas, maybe your first Christmas as husband and wife, 10 year anniversary, baby’s first Christmas.. you’ll likely have the tree for years and years to come as a special memory of its Christmas glory.
Living Christmas trees are pretty easy to take care of, maybe not as easy as the artificial trees but still pretty easy. The first this you want to do is make sure you transition your tree slowly into the warm household temperatures. You don’t want to have a living tree inside a warm house for more that 2 weeks or so, so when you’re ready to bring it inside transition it slowly. Put it in an unheated garage or shed for about 2 days and then bring it into the house for Christmas time. **After Christmas you’ll also want to leave it in the garage or shed for a few days before putting it back outside in the elements.
While your tree is living inside with you you’ll want to make it comfortable, make sure it is not directly under a heat vent or right next to the fire place, as it will dry out. Watering your living tree while it is inside may be easier than you think. The best way to go about this is to constantly keep ice cubes in the container, just don’t stack them against the trunk. The ice melts at a slower pace, allowing the roots to soak it up as it melts leaving little to no extra run off. This also keeps the roots nice and cool while its sitting in your cozy warm home. You’ll still want to have a drip tray underneath to protect the floor just incase. **If your container is too large for a standard plant tray try using a water boiler tray from your local hardware store.
Aside from the transition periods and the ice you’re all set! Decorate with lights, ornaments, snow, pop corn, whatever your Christmas spirit calls for! These trees don’t mind being dressed to nines at all. If the container is too large for your normal tree skirt consider using aluminum flashing, also available at your local hardware store! You can find it in silver or gold and its sold by the foot, secure it at the back with some packing or duct tape and you have a shiny festive cover on the bottom of your tree.
After the holidays plant your tree in your yard, leave it in a large container on your patio, or you can even donate it to your local parks department.
Choosing a living tree for your Christmas tree this year can be a meaningful project for your family or a great way to give back to your community. All of our living Christmas trees are currently 50% off now through the 24th, so if you’re still needing to do that holiday decorating think Johnson Brothers for your Christmas tree needs and invest in the years to come!
