Cut Trees
If you’re not going to bring your tree in the house immediately, keep it in a cool area with the tree base in a bucket of water, above freezing temperatures. A garage or basement works well. When you’re ready to set up your tree, cut 1-2” from the base and promptly place the tree in water. Do not cut or shave bark from the sides of the trunk. This greatly reduces the tree’s ability to take up water. After you set the tree up inside your house, be sure to check and add water daily. In a warm house, the tree can “drink” up to a gallon a day.
If you have a netted tree, set it up in the tree stand with the net on. Using scissors, cut the netting from the top down about halfway. Then cut from the bottom up to remove the netting from the tree. The netting can be recycled with plastics.
Live Trees Do not carry the tree by the trunk – you can damage the roots. Carry it by the root ball or roll it on the ground. Once home, the tree should be gradually acclimated before bringing it in the house. Let it sit upright in an unheated garage, barn or basement for at least a couple of days. When you bring the tree indoors, set it up in an area away from any heat source. The cooler the area, the better.
Keep the root ball moist – not wet. A living tree doesn’t need as much water as a cut one does but it shouldn’t dry out. Put the root ball in a bucket or large pan to protect your floors.
Do not keep the tree in the house for more than 10 days! Exposure to the warm temperatures can cause the dormant tree to break buds prematurely. When moving the tree outdoors after Christmas, reverse the acclimation process. Keep it in an unheated space again for a couple of days before planting.
If the ground is frozen and the tree can’t be planted, place it in a sheltered area outside and mulch the root ball heavily to keep it from freezing. When planting, dig the hole the depth of the root ball and 1½ to 2 times wider than the diameter. Keep the top of the root ball at ground level – NO DEEPER! Place the root ball in the hole, remove all twine, and cut away as much of the burlap as you can without disturbing the root ball. Backfill the hole with the dirt removed from the hole. Water well to fill in air holes. Mulch with straw, bark, shavings or whatever. The tree will remain dormant for the rest of the winter and begin growing in the spring.