Seeking advice: How can I avoid killing our live, potted Christmas tree?

Being in FLorida, I can't help you with the temperature issues... we went from the living room right to the front yard years ago with a potted Leyland Cypress. Just curious how it will get necessary "sunlight" in the basement or garage?? Do you have some plant "grow" lights?? I would think it will need some energy producing wavelengths before your ground thaws out in the Spring...

Ideally, a live Christmas tree should be inside for as short a time as possible. If it breaks dormancy while it's inside, it'll die when it's moved outside for the rest of the winter.

If you planned ahead, you've got a planting hole prepared and covered with enough mulch to keep the ground from freezing until you can plant it after the holidays. If not, and the ground is frozen, it'll have to spend the rest of the winter sheltered in an unheated space where you can keep it watered and covered so it won't warm up too much and dry out.

When you are ready, take all the decorations off and move it to a sheltered location where it can re-acclimate to outside temperatures. It is a good idea to treat the tree with an anti-dessicant so it will need less water during cold weather. If you are planting it into a prepared hole, pull away the mulch, remove the pot, set the tree in the hole, backfill, water it heavily, and replace the mulch. After planting the tree, treat it with anti-dessicant and wrap it with a wind barrier for additional protection.

If your basement is heated living space, you are better off moving it straight to the garage and protect it from the cold as much as possible for at least the first few days. Until the tree is planted, you'll need to keep the root ball from freezing solid so the tree can take up water as it needs it. As long as the tree is dormant, it doesn't need sunlight.

First, a very big thanks to you all!

Hi juni, well right now we call it "lil tree", "o tiny tannenbaum" and "the tree", because we're imaginative like that. ;-) Never fear, I'm not known for overwatering plants... I will give it a careful dust-off again when we gently take the ornaments and lights off.

Hmmmm good point David, I hadn't thought of that, but it looks like Peter has cleared the tree for sunlight if it is dormant. How is your Leyland Cypress doing? Don't those grow *really fast*!?!

And Peter, I'm so glad to see your name. You've given me some really good advice before so let me run a breakdown here... No, this wasn't planned well enough for that. I will figure out a way to adapt it to the garage and put myself on a watering and checking-in schedule. I'll check the garage temps to make sure we're not at root-ball-freezing temps in there. What do you recommend I cover it with, would a coffee sack do?

Keep away from direct heat, water but not over water, then out to the garage till you can plant it.

I'd pick a container that would allow you to pack several inches of some insulating material all around the root ball. The above ground parts only need to be protected from drying out. You can use dry leaves, loose hay or straw, lots of packing peanuts, or similar materials. I would not use actual insulation because roots need air as much as water for survival.

You can let the root ball freeze if you get near zero or sub-zero weather conditions, but you should delay freezing for as long as practical and, once frozen, the tree should then be kept in the coldest spot you can find until the ground is thawed and drained enough for you to plant it out in the spring. Nurseries have temperature controlled rooms to keep planting stock at about 30 to 35 degrees over winter and 35 to 40 degrees in the spring planting season so plants don't start growing too soon.

I think that tree is a 50-footer, and will have many great-grandchildren.
I know it's enjoying all the names, too.
If you've got time, there's a Tee-riffic Tree story by TRavis. I think it's just called TREE. You might love it!

Merry TREEmas!

The Leyland Cypress has surpassed my ability to string lights to the top... I see very large trees around town decorated and can only assume that folks must rent one of those trucks with the lifting basket on it... too expensive for my blood. I was using a tree trimber extension pole which goes up about 20 feet but cannot get but 3/4 of the way up the tree now... and you know it takes LOTS of lights to make an outdoor tree look really nice... as in thousands... I would need a dedicated electric breaker for that I think... anyway, looks like your lil tree has a good chance with all this advice... happy day!!!

Wow! I can't believe how much I've learned from you all, and I appreciate the support - almost as much as the tree must, because really folks, this tree needs you to help me ;-)

Thanks for chiming in, Carolyn K.

Peter, I think I can score some hay or straw for insulation purposes. Thank you for pointing out the roots need air, it would be awful to smother it... [ugh, I can't bear to think about it!]

Will try to track down that article, Carolion. I hope this tree does prosper.

David, the cypress' growth is testimony to your care! Lights or no lights, what a terrific holiday tree.