Holiday shoppers are turning increasingly to live potted evergreen trees to make their season bright! At Payne’s Nurseries & Greenhouses, we sell only the highest quality hardy evergreen stock. However, as live Christmas trees cannot be guaranteed once they leave our premises, be sure to follow the following instructions carefully to ensure  enjoyment of your tree for years to come!

The main points: (1) keep the tree's rootball moist; (2) don't leave the tree indoors longer than 5 days; and (3) plant it with an eye toward its future growth. Let's get to it!

Live evergreens should not be left indoors longer than 5 days. So unless you plan to bring your live tree indoors immediately, place it outdoors in a location sheltered from drying winds and water it at once. Every 7 to 10 days, water it again. 24 hours before you bring your tree indoors, water it once more thoroughly.

When you bring your tree indoors, position it near a cool window, away from fireplaces or other sources of heat (which could dry it out and hasten its decline). Water as needed to keep the rootball slightly moist. HINT: Place ice cubes daily on top of the rootball. Over the course of the day, they’ll melt slowly, keeping the rootball from drying out.

If you wish to put holiday lights on your tree, use small, low-voltage bulbs that do not produce drying heat. (LED lights work beautifully!)

When it’s time to take your live Christmas tree back outdoors, don’t plant it right away. Place it in a well lighted, wind-sheltered area such as a carport, portal or protected niche near a warm wall for 10 to 14 days before planting your tree in its permanent location. This will help it accustom itself gradually to outdoor conditions.

Planting Your Payne’s Christmas Tree

1. Dig the hole for the tree while the ground is unfrozen, mounding up the compost-enriched ‘backfill’ soil and covering it with plastic, keeping it dry and workable.

2. Run a hose to the spot where you are going to plant your tree.

3. Dig a hole 1½ to 2 times the width of the container and slightly (2-4”) deeper.

4. Set the excavated soil to one side and mix together 3 parts soil to 2 parts Payne’s Soil Conditioner™.

5. Place a portion of this mixture (about 2 inches’ worth) in the bottom of the hole, tamping it down thoroughly so that the plant will not settle.

6. Gently remove the tree from its pot, and place the tree in the hole. If the rootball has burlap around it, leave the burlap alone, but cut any twine that may circle the trunk.

7. Put the open end of your hose in the hole and turn on the water.

8. As the water flows into the hole, shovel the soil conditioner mixture in around the tree’s rootball. The swirling water will help soil settle, eliminating air pockets.

9. When the hole is filled with dirt, turn off the hose water and let the soil settle.

10. Give your newly planted tree a good shot of root stimulant, diluted according to the directions on the label. Popular brands are SuperThrive™ or Fertilome™ Root Stimulator.

Watering Your Planted Payne’s Christmas Tree

1. Give your tree a slow, deep watering 1 or 2 times a week for the first year, from planting time until the fall. This is essential for helping it establish healthy roots. In addition, water-stressed trees are highly vulnerable to insect and disease attack. In subsequent years, you can reduce the amount you water depending on the weather and the needs of the particular kind of tree you’ve planted.

2. To increase watering efficiency, use extra soil to form a water basin above ground around the tree at the diameter of the drip line of the plant. Apply a 2” layer of mulch to the water basin to reduce evaporation.

3. After planting, water thoroughly every 3-4 weeks throughout the winter, gradually increasing the frequency as the soil warms and the tree comes out of dormancy.

4. In spring when new growth appears on your tree, scratch several cups of evergreen fertilizer into the soil around your tree and water in thoroughly. Repeat in late summer.

5. Starting in early May, apply a root stimulator such as SuperThrive™ or Fertilome™ Root Stimulator once a month until August. •