|
Potted Christmas Trees:
An alternative to artificial or cut Christmas trees is a potted,
live evergreen that’s brought into the home for a brief period
and then planted outdoors for years of enjoyment. If this is appealing
to you there are a few key things you need to know so your Christmas
tree can become a permanent part of your garden.
Preparation:
In November when the ground’s still workable, dig a hole where
you intend to plant approximately 50 cm (20”) deep and 60 cm
(24”) wide. Loosen the soil at the bottom with your shovel.
If you have heavy clay put 5 cm - 10 cm (2” - 4”) of gravel
on the bottom. Add 15 cm - 25 cm (6” - 8”) of Parkwood™
Triple Blend mixed with some manure or compost. Place the balance
of your soil mixture in the garage so it doesn’t freeze solid
when you’re ready to backfill the sides at planting time in
late December. Cover the planting hole with planks of wood or a
sheet of plywood to avoid an accident. Fresh fibre potted evergreens
start arriving at all Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centres in late
fall. You can choose from Scots Pine, White Spruce, Colorado and
Blue Colorado Spruce, and Fraser and Douglas Fir in sizes from 60
cm – 150 cm (24” – 5’). Bring your evergreen
home and leave it outside in the cool temperatures. Water every
2 or 3 days to the point where you see water exiting the drainage
holes at the bottom of the pot.
Bring Your Potted
Christmas Tree Inside:
Your potted evergreen can be kept inside for 7 to 10 days but only
if it’s positioned in the coolest area of your home (i.e. near
a window or door) and away from direct heat sources. When you bring
it inside be sure you have a large, sturdy drainage tray it can
sit in when you water. Also, because it’s not very tall, you
may want to raise it on a pedestal, cube, or table that’s strong
enough to support its weight. Decorate it with minilights that produce
little heat and your favourite Christmas decorations. Water your
living Christmas tree everyday.
Planting Your Potted
Christmas Tree:
It’s a good idea to “harden-off” your evergreen before
putting it right into the ground after Christmas. By taking it outside
for a few hours each day and putting it back in the garage overnight,
it gradually readjusts to colder temperatures until after a week
it’s used to 24-hour exposure.
Trim the rim of the fibre pot down to the soil level with a sharp
knife and remove. Cut the bottom right off. Make four evenly spaced
slits halfway up the fibre sides from bottom to top but don’t
try to remove. Leave the sides on to maintain the integrity of the
rootball so it doesn’t fall apart during planting. Place the
container in your pre-dug hole and backfill the sides firmly with
the soil you stored in the garage. Water the area thoroughly, then
put an extra 10 cm (4”) of soil over the top to help insulate
the root zone for winter. You can maintain moisture in the foliage
by spraying your evergreen with Wilt-Pruf to prevent windburn or
you can surround your specimen with burlap stapled to sturdy garden
stakes.
After-Care:
As soon as the ground starts to thaw in spring, remove the burlap,
if applicable, and the extra 10 cm (4”) of soil that acted
as an insulation blanket. Dilute Parkwood™ Transplanter 5-15-5
with water to promote immediate root growth. Repeat this treatment
twice more at 2-week intervals with regular watering in between.
Continue to keep your evergreen well watered especially through
prolonged periods of high temperatures and drought. The following
spring, make a yearly application of an evergreen fertilizer and
enjoy watching your living Christmas tree become a permanent memory
in your very special garden.
Natural Christmas Decorations:
If you grow your own female and male Holly, a great time of the
year to prune is in December when you can bring branches indoors
to decorate your home. For dried and fresh flower arrangements,
cut branches of Yellowtwig, Red Osier, Siberian, Ivory Halo, Silverleaf,
or Winter Beauty Dogwood for a bright flash of bark colour. If you
don’t grow your own Dogwood you can buy stems from your nearest
Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre. We also stock Curly Willow, Winterberry
branches and many more. To enjoy containers on front steps or the
back patio, arrange any of these twigs with assorted evergreen boughs
and large cones for a festive still-life arrangement that could
include white minilights as well.
Fresh wreaths are also available in Cedar, Balsam or Fraser Fir,
Boxwood, evergreen Magnolia, and mixed evergreens. Cedar or Balsam
roping can be swaged across a fence or porch or spiraled down columns.
Both wreaths and roping can be used indoors for a short period of
time before dropping needles. To prolong the use of any fresh evergreens
inside your home, spray with Wilt-Pruf before bringing indoors.
This clear spray locks in moisture to keep greens going longer.
Near the house, on an evergreen(s) in the back garden, you may want
to string dried fruits, berries, rosehips, raisins, cranberries,
dried apricots, even dried Sunflower heads as a Christmas present
to the birds. These natural decorations are fun to admire from a
warm family room or kitchen window when only the birds are brave
enough to be out and about.
Also refer to Gardening Tip #44
CARING FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS
PLANTS
|
