INTERVIEW WITH NATE HOERR (pronounced HAIR) on “KEEPING YOUR LIVING CHRISTMAS TREE ALIVE through the HOLIDAYS”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIVING CHRISTMAS TREES

Hoerr Nursery is a third generation business that has thrived in Peoria, IL for 80 years and Nate Hoerr is the CEO. Hoerr Nursery and Garden Center has over 12,000 trees in production, and many are evergreens that a customer could purchase as a Living Christmas Tree.

REPORTER: The President of Horticultural Advantage, a consulting firm for horticultural business owners and managers, reminds us that: "The family tradition of decorating with real wreaths and Christmas trees is an important part of American life and celebrating with family."  

A nationwide poll conducted by Harris Interactive®, asked consumers if their Christmas traditions and celebrations were more or less important than 10 years ago. Nearly one-third (29%) reported their traditions were “MUCH more important”.

And, for many Americans, a favorite part of that tradition is selecting their Christmas tree. About 1/3 of the American households will select a living tree. That’s 31 million trees.

Most people select a cut tree, but some families prefer to buy a living tree and then plant it after the holiday.

We’re here with Nate Hoerr of Hoerr Nursery in Peoria, Illinois. What can you tell us about working with living Christmas trees?

NATE HOERR:  Approximate transcript: It takes some advance planning to be successful. First you need to think about placement in your yard. Then call your local utilities to have all underground utilities marked. Then on a pleasant winter day – such as this – dig your hole for your tree.

It needs to be a bit deeper and about twice as wide as your root ball is going to be.

REPORTER: Why do you dig the hole now?

NATE HOERR: Approximate transcript: The ground might be frozen on the day you want to plant the tree. So, it’s a good idea to not only dig the hole, but fill it with some straw to keep it from filling in, and to take the dirt that you’ve excavated and put it in your garage so it doesn’t freeze.

REPORTER: Any special tips about selecting a tree?

NATE HOERR: Approximate transcript: You want to pick out an attractive tree that is not too heavy to deal with. People are surprised about how heavy dirt is –this root ball may weigh between 40 - 80 pounds, so a living tree is heavy. Your local nursery and garden center will have the best selection of the healthiest trees.

You want to ease the transition of the tree into and out of your house. Leave it in the garage or a covered porch for a couple days before putting it in your house, and for a couple days before moving it into its hole in your yard. A tree that is dormant and exposed to immediate warmth will start to grow. And since you want to avoid bringing the tree out of dormancy, remember to give your tree a transition into the house.

REPORTER: I understand that while the tree is waiting in the garage is a good time to check for critters and insect egg masses. Those passengers can stay outside. Are there any other care instructions?

NATE HOERR: Approximate transcript:
Don’t let it dry out – so keep it away from direct heat; try to keep it in the coolest area of your home AND have it inside fewer than 10 days. Remember, it’s a living tree; it needs to be outside.

And, then, you can plant it when the weather is fairly nice – once you’ve acclimated it to the outdoors, you can even wait a month or two to move it to the hole and actually plant it. Then plant as you would any tree, with the top of the root ball just above ground level, and using the soil that you have saved in your garage.

REPORTER: Do you expect to sell many living Christmas trees this year?

NATE HOERR: Approximate transcript: All of our tree sales have been going really well this year, and the industry has projected upward trends of real tree and living tree sales, so we’ll see.

REPORTER: That’s how you get a living tree to stay alive and thriving after the holidays. And given the weight of the root ball, you may wish to add a wheel barrow under the tree to help your family move your living tree back to its rightful place in the ground.