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Photo by : Robert Nunnally .
Q : I’ve always felt a little guilty about the way evergreen plant are cut down for Christmas , then tossed away a few week later on . This year I want to purchase a lively Christmas tree and institute it in my one thousand after the holidays . What ’s the good way to care for these trees?—Gail Madden , Mount Lebanon , Pa.
A : The itch to spare a tree is strong , but corrupt a live Christmas tree will likely grow you into a grinch — and it wo n’t do much to help the environment , either . According to Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree granger , only about half these trees survive the holidays . shelter a live tree indoors poses several challenges : A 6 - fundament tree should have about a 24 - in root globe and will weigh about 250 pounds ; you must be vigilant about watering because trees dry out quick indoors . Time is definitely not on your side — after 10 days , you should get it back out of doors and in the ground . That ’s a brusk sprightliness for a Christmas tree , and extra stress for you just to implant an evergreen . Also , unless your dimension is quite large , you ’ll lead out of space in a few years , as eventually , all the popular Christmas trees become huge .
I recommend buy a Christmas tree from a local tree farm — it ’s more convenient and ecologically sound . Cutting farm - grown Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is no worse for the environment than harvesting a field of battle of broccoli . It ’s in reality better because these evergreen remain in the ground for 8 to 10 year , during which time there ’s ordinarily no cultivation and thus , less soil erosion . instead , you could spring up your own trees to cut back . Evergreen seedlingsare inexpensive and take about 8 years to reach harvest time size . They require short maintenance beyond mulching , irrigation , and pruning in June 21 for a more compact shape .
If you ’re position on a hot tree , there are a few peak to improve its billet vacation vista : Dig a hole now , before the ground freezes solid , making it a few column inch wider but the same depth as the root testis ( the plant tree should rest at ground horizontal surface ) . Fill the cakehole with ironical foliage or other mulch , and cover the grease for backfilling so it wo n’t immobilise before you ’re ready to plant .
A tree from a local grower stands a much better chance at achiever . Trees sent long distances often have littler antecedent balls to make merchant vessels easy , but smaller root clod lower the natural selection rate . rent the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree acclimate to warmer indoor condition by pillow it in the garage for two or three Day , and do this again on its trip back outdoors . coiffure the tree in a tub self-aggrandizing enough for you to irrigate it well without fearfulness of making a mess . Water it a little every day , but do n’t let the rootage ball stand in pee . Be lawful to your original purpose : When its 10 days of indoor duty have pass away , set out your Tannenbaum on its means back outdoors to your garden .
