Live tree in a tub for New Year

The only thing that stops most people from buying a live tree in a tub is anxiety about caring for it. And completely in vain, the tree is a rather hardy and unpretentious tree. And if you managed to choose the right Christmas tree, then it will not give you much trouble.

Choosing a live tree

Recently, cases of fraud with trees in a tub have become more frequent. Christmas trees do not tolerate transplanting very well, so they are immediately grown in containers in nurseries. Because of this, a special root system is formed, not the same as that of trees grown in open ground..

However, this does not bother fraudsters at all, they dig up an adult tree, transplant it into a tub and sell it as a tub plant, as a result of which 99% of such trees die. If you do not have time to look for a reliable nursery, and you still decided to try your luck at the Christmas tree market, then pay attention to the soil in the container. It should be tight enough. Ask the seller to remove the tree from the container. If the roots are thick and there are few of them, the earth is crumbling, then you can safely turn around and move on. If the root system is branched, a dense lump is formed, then this is a tree grown in a container, and you can take it.

However, keep in mind that a tree, even in a tub, is not a houseplant, but a forest plant, and winter is a period of rest for it. Therefore, it is impossible to keep it in a warm room for more than two weeks, the tree can die even with proper care. Leave it on the balcony for now, or, if you have your own yard, just outside. Sudden changes in temperature are harmful to the tree, so ideally it should be gradually accustomed to warmth. That is, first bring it into an unheated room for 2-3 days, and only then transfer it to a warm room.

Try to place the tree away from batteries and other sources of heat, otherwise it will “wake up” ahead of time and then will not endure the winter well. The Christmas tree loves humid air, do not forget this and regularly moisten the soil and spray the branches from the spray bottle. A living tree is beautiful in itself, and if you expect to preserve this beauty for a long time, then try to do without electric lights and unnecessary tinsel. Thin twigs may break or burn from the garland.

Living tree care

Immediately after the holidays, do not rush to put the tree out in the cold. Remember the dangers of sudden changes in temperature. First, temper the tree for several days in a cool room, and only then take it outside. It is better if you insulate the outside of the container with burlap or straw..

In a small container, the ground quickly freezes, and this can kill the tree. The tree should be transplanted once every 2-3 years, starting from February to April, choosing a larger container each time. And she can spend the summer in your garden, decorating one of your flower beds, waiting for the next New Year. The Christmas tree, like all conifers, loves loose soil, loamy and sandy loam soils are ideal for it. Planting rules are the same as for planting all trees. The pit should be 20-30 centimeters larger than the earthen coma. Be sure to arrange drainage: put broken brick with sand, about 15 cm high on the bottom of the pit.

Prepare an earthen mixture for backfilling: turf, peat, sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. For better engraftment, use growth stimulants such as Kornevin, Heteroauxin. Watering is very important, especially in hot weather..

If your garden does not yet have an alpine slide, then now you have a chance to create it with your own hands, making the New Year’s beauty a “star” here. Conifers are ideal for rockeries or rock gardens.

Dwarf pine, cypress and juniper, larch and thuja – all these are unique plants that can temporarily replace a Christmas tree, making your holiday non-standard, and in spring they will become “pearls” in your rock garden or rockery.