Contact Us
309.691.4561
Location & Directions
Ask your Expert
Garden Center Hours
Winter Vacation
Garden Center Opens
February 13, 2012
Living Christmas Tree
You can start a magical family tradition with a ready-to-plant Christmas tree. As the years pass you'll watch your Christmas tree develop into a beautiful landscape specimen and wildlife habitat. You can continue to use it as part of the holidays by adding outdoor lighting.
For success with your ready-to-plant, living Christmas tree, use the following guidelines:
- Select a balled and burlapped, or container grown 2½' to 3½ foot pine, spruce, fir, pyramidal yew or cone-shaped Green Mountain boxwood. A tree any larger will be too heavy to easily get in and out of your home.
- Place the tree in a large, sturdy container that will accommodate the root ball plus an additional 3 inches of organic mulch around the root ball. The mulch prevents the root ball from drying too quickly in the heat of the home. Water the root ball thoroughly and leave it in the garage for a couple days before moving it into your home.
- Select your planting site outside and call- J.U.L.I.E., 1-800-892-0123, to check for underground wiring and services. After the area is marked, dig a hole as deep as the root ball and about 2 times as wide. Put some straw into the hole and, to be safe, cover the hole with plywood.
- If you keep your home around 68°F, the plant can be inside for about a week; ten days in cooler homes. If the tree is in the house too long it will become too dry and will not survive.
- Use a minimum of lights for decorating, and only the miniature size.
- After the holidays, move the tree back into the unheated area for 3 to 4 days to prepare it for the move back outside.
- After a few days in the unheated space, move the tree into its hole for planting or move it to a protected side of a building near its planting hole. The tree can remain for days, weeks or even a couple of months before planting is necessary. When moderate weather returns, plant the tree in its hole and place the soil around it.
- Living “Ready to Plant” Christmas trees are a great way to the celebrate the season and provide exceptional value in your landscape for years to come.
Gift Cards - Order Online
The perfect gift for any occasion!
Order Now!
Hoerr Nursery | 8020 N Shade Tree Drive | Peoria, IL 61615
Just North of the Shoppes on Route 91 | 309.691.4561 | Contact Us
© 2011 D.A. Hoerr & Sons, Inc.