Live Christmas Type Tree For Inside

[Nyboy]

Every year I put up a real xmas tree Dec 5 till Jan 2. This year I would like to try a live one and plant it after. I know indoors can be death for outside tree, at planting temperature can be anywhere from low 40s to below zero. Any suggestion for a tree that would have best chance with this abuse?

 

[thistlebloom]

It looks like you already know the pitfalls NYboy.
I don't know of a species that has a better chance than others, maybe somebody else does. It obviously has to be one that will survive in your zone.

One thing that is important if you are going to plant it afterward is to have a hole ready to receive it. In other words get it dug before the ground is frozen solid.
I think it would be possible to keep it in the pot outside if it (container)were protected from severe freezing. Watered well while the soil is thawed then insulated with bags of leaves, chunky bark or even soil if you have some that is thawed.
That's the way I would go rather than planting in winter and hoping for the best. Trees are overwintered in containers at every nursery.

It's the warm indoor air and dryness that is so hard on them.
They should be kept as cool as possible and only be in for a week tops.

 

[thistlebloom]

I just remembered that I had a Colorado Blue spruce that I did that with one year. It was probably 4' high and pretty girthy. Very uncomfortable to decorate too!

I moved it outside and it lived in that container for several years with an annual root pruning. It was a 20 gallon pot.
I finally planted it in the ground and it promptly died.

 

[Nyboy]

Everything I am reading says 1 week inside tops. I love blue spruce, have a very large one growing along stream. My parents visited one day, my father disappeared. When I found him he had taken it upon himself to prune my spruce. He cut off every branch but 4 on top, then said to me it will fill out now. 10 years later it still only has those 4 branches. A friend one day asked why I have never cut it down, I said it is a reminder to lock tool shed when dads around.

 

[thistlebloom]

 

[Beekissed]

My sister did that for years...sometimes the tree would sit in the container or a root ball until she got around to planting it in the spring, sometimes they'd plant it not long after removing it from the house. It was always in the house for weeks until she got around to taking it out. She now has a huge line of these trees that grew taller than any such trees I've ever seen...she lives right next to the tree nursery that all these trees were bought from, so same soils but the trees they let go over there still never got as tall as hers...she has amazing soil.

The trees she always chose were long needled white pine. They are incredibly lovely now and form a lush, tall wall of pine down part of her driveway and across another section of her yard. None of those trees died, all are healthy and trees of great beauty.

 

[Nyboy]

Bee your sister has a great reminder of past Christmas, thats kind of what I am hoping for

 

[catjac1975]

Every year I put up a real xmas tree Dec 5 till Jan 2. This year I would like to try a live one and plant it after. I know indoors can be death for outside tree, at planting temperature can be anywhere from low 40s to below zero. Any suggestion for a tree that would have best chance with this abuse?

I had potted trees sitting on my front porch and lit for Christmas. They were later planted and are growing beautifully. I only brought one inside for Christmas when my oldest grandson was tiny. That grew well too. Dig a hole now where it will go. Fill it with leaves if available or cover it with a tarp. Put the soil in big buckets and put in the cellar or garage so it doesn't freeze. Make sure you water the tree when indoors and then outdoors. I would mist the needles before putting outdoors.When you are done with the indoor display put it in a cool garage and let it acclimate slowly. Then plop in in the hole, water, fill with the soil, mulch. Done.

 

[journey11]

I don't think you can keep a live tree as long, so maybe get it closer to Christmas. When we used to buy real trees before the dog was allergic, Frasier Firs held up best to our wood heat, but this was cut, not live.

 

[catjac1975]

I don't think you can keep a live tree as long, so maybe get it closer to Christmas. When we used to buy real trees before the dog was allergic, Frasier Firs held up best to our wood heat, but this was cut, not live.

We stop the wood heat while trees are in the house.