How to Care for a Living Christmas Tree

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 10, 2021 Approved

When you choose a living Christmas tree, you aren’t cutting down a healthy tree and you won’t have to throw your tree away after the holidays. In fact, you’ll be able to replant the tree in your very own garden. With care and planning, your Christmas tree can serve as a living memory for years to come.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Moving the Tree Inside

Living Christmas trees should not be kept indoors for more than 7-10 days at most.^{[1]
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Acclimate your tree to indoor temperatures. Slowly bring your tree indoors so as not to shock an outdoor tree by exposing it to warm indoor temperatures. The warm temperature will encourage tree growth which is to be avoided.^{[2]
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- Transition your living tree by first moving it to a garage or enclosed porch before bringing it indoors.
Before moving the living tree into your house, you want to ensure you’re not bringing any other living creatures with you.
During the transition time, it’s important to ensure that your tree is still receiving moisture. Soak the rootball so that the soil around the tree is always moist but not overly wet or drowning.^{[3]
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Spray your tree with an anti-dessicant or anti-wilt product. This spray will prevent the needles of the tree from dropping and help your tree to maintain moisture.^{[4]
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- Anti-desiccant and anti-wilt products can be found under the names Wilt-Pruf or Cloud-Cover.” ^{[5]
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- To use, shake the bottle well. Spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves and needles of your tree. Allow the spray to dry outdoors for several hours. One application of spray will last for three to four months. Please see the label of your specific anti-desiccant or anti-wilt spray for detailed directions.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Caring for the Tree in the House

Keep your tree in as cool a spot as possible away from any heaters, radiators or direct sunlight.
In order to protect your living tree, use LED lights that don’t give off heat and hang lighter ornaments that won’t weigh down or damage your tree.^{[6]
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3
Maintain the moisture in your tree. Continually water your living tree while it is indoors so it doesn’t dry out. If the tree dries out, it may be unable to recover.^{[7]
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- Check the water level in your tree’s basin regularly.^{[8]
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- If the root ball of your tree is wrapped in burlap, place the root ball in a tub. Add mulch on top of the root ball to help increase moisture.^{[9]
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- Ensure there is 1-2” of water at the bottom of your tub or container. Any more than that may drown the roots.^{[10]
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- To add more moisture, use a spray bottle to spray water onto the leaves and branches of the tree. Be careful when spraying near lights or ornaments.
- As an alternative to adding water, you can place crushed ice overtop your tree’s root ball.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Planting the Tree Outside

1
Find a spot that can hold your tree. Before planting it’s important to consider if your tree will be able to successfully grow in your area.
- Check if your tree is suitable and able to thrive in your area’s climate.^{[11]
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- Determine if your space can accommodate the full grown height and width of your tree.
- Ensure your space is protected from high winds and that it receives adequate sunlight.
2
Dig the hole for your tree before the soil freezes. If frozen soil is an issue in your area, be sure to dig the hole for your tree early in the winter before the ground freezes over.^{[12]
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- Dig a hole about four to five times the size of your tree’s root ball in diameter and slightly shallower than the root ball in depth.^{[13]
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Livings trees that spend more than 7-10 days indoors may lose hardiness and be unable to thrive once replanted.
4
Acclimate your tree to outdoor weather. Just as you acclimated your tree to indoor temperatures, you must do the same when preparing to bring it back outdoors. Spend about a week slowly transitioning your tree from inside your home to outside using your garage or enclosed porch.^{[14]
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- During this period, keep your tree away from high winds, direct sunlight and warm areas.
5
Remove the container or covering around your tree’s root ball once you are ready to replant. Only natural burlap or biodegradable containers are safe to be planted. Treated burlap, nylon or plastic containers must be removed.^{[15]
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- If after removing the covering your tree’s roots are bound tightly together, gently break up the massed roots on the outer layer of the root ball.
6
Plant your tree in the pre-dug hole. Plant your tree slightly higher than the surrounding soil to help with drainage.^{[16]
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- If the area where you plan to replant your tree is still frozen, you will need to wait for it to thaw before replanting. Keep your tree in a sheltered spot outdoors until the soil is thawed.
Level the soil to the top of the tree’s roots. Spread 2-3” of mulch over top of the area.
8
Maintain moisture. During the replanting process, your tree will still need water. If your area is dry in the winter, you may need to continue watering your tree once it is replanted. Monitor the soil to determine if your tree needs additional moisture or not.^{[17]
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- Do not add fertilizer to your tree’s soil until the spring. In the first year after replanting, be careful not to add too much fertilizer as the roots are not fully established yet.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

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Question

All of the lower branches on my tree are turning brown, as are the needles. Am I over-watering or under-watering, and is there any way I can rescue the situation?

Community Answer

Most likely under-watering. You may also want to check for fertilizers in your area.

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How can you pep up a Garden Christmas tree?

Community Answer

Like any other tree. The tree itself does not know it is a Christmas tree. Water, food, and light will help it.

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What do I do to keep the living tree alive after Christmas? Can I leave it outside in the pot that it came in?

Community Answer

Yes, if you water it, or maybe a slightly bigger pot will be better. Trees suffer in tiny pots, and hence need more water and fertiliser put on them.

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Tips

Another option is to skip bringing the tree inside altogether. Plant it in your yard and decorate it there.^{[19]
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If you want a living tree but are unable to replant one, look into living tree rental companies. These companies will drop off a living tree to your home for the holidays and pick it up afterwards to be replanted.^{[20]
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Once fully replanted, living Christmas trees will still require regular maintenance such as soil management, disease and insect management, and shaping/pruning.

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Warnings

Living trees can stay in the house for only a brief period, no more than 7 to 10 days. Trees that stay indoors longer lose their hardiness and will succumb to the freezing weather once brought back outdoors.^{[21]
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Larger trees are less likely to survive as they have greater transplant shock moving from outside to inside and back outside again.^{[22]
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After a year or two, you may not be able to bring the same living Christmas tree indoors. By that time, the tree will have grown in height and width and the roots will be widespread.^{[23]
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