My family and I have always been obsessed with Christmas trees. I have vivid childhood memories of our family tree decorating parties and my mother’s “Proper Theory of Tree Decorating Geometry” (which I still practice today, but that’s another story) and perhaps, about all, sitting next to the tree while enjoying the holidays with family and friends and marveling at its beauty.
However, in our home, a Christmas tree always meant one thing: it had to be a living tree that could be planted in our garden in the New Year. My mother was always too preoccupied with the idea of cutting down a tree for the holidays, so we always chose beautiful live specimens. The added benefit of this was enjoying each tree for the rest of the year in the garden, and then decorating previous years’ planted “Christmas trees” in the garden each following year. Even after moving to the city we still have living trees; we just donate them each New Years to a local municipal park.
Growing up many people thought this was something eccentric, however today many people are getting involved in “Live Christmas Trees”. Another added benefit of having a live Christmas tree is the reduced chance of fire that cut trees have.
Tips for Living Trees
1. Plan where you will place your tree before you buy it.
2. Measure exactly the space you have. This will determine the size of the tree that you can buy.
3. Live trees are very heavy. Always have at least one friend or family member help you put the tree in place.
4. Choose a tree that has a tightly wrapped root ball. This will ensure your good health.
5. Always move your tree by the root ball and never by the trunk or branches of the tree.
6. Before placing your outdoor tree on your home. Allow it to acclimate to the warmer temperature in your garage for a few days beforehand. This will ensure that you do not go into shock from the change in temperature.
7. Keep the root ball moist. Usually this means giving him a pitcher of water every day.
8. Find a large, festive container for the root ball. Large galvanized steel buckets or Mexican terracotta pots work great.
Robin Recommended Specimens
1. Blue Spruce: The Christmas classic. Thick, dark green and beautiful.
2. Eastern Hemlock – A lush, dark green with a sharp, unusual shape.
3. Balsam Fir: Another Christmas classic. Traditional look and heavenly scent.
