We congratulate you on your decision to buy a live Christmas tree! To help your holiday tree become a permanent addition to your home’s beautiful landscape, here are a few hints from Bloomin Garden on indoor care and outdoor planting.

Indoors

It is best to temper your tree before bringing it indoors. Place it in an unheated garage for 1-2 days, then bring it into the house. It is a good idea to spray your tree with an anti-desiccant, which will reduce moisture loss during the period your tree spends indoors.

Place your tree in the coolest part of the room, away from radiators and heat vents. A galvanized wash tub filled with shredded paper or mulch serves as an excellent container for your tree. Protect your floor or carpet with a sheet of plastic under the tub.

Water your tree every other day with at least one quart of water each time. Try to minimize the length of time your tree lights are turned on. Miniature lights are best. Your tree may drop some needles, which is normal, and does no harm. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR TREE IN THE HOUSE LONGER THAN 7 TO 10 DAYS.

Outdoors

It is best to cover the area where you will be planting your tree with leaves or mulch to help prevent the ground from freezing.

Once again, temper your tree before you bring it outdoors by placing it in an unheated garage for 1-2 days.

Dig your planting hole at least 12″ wider than your tree’s root ball, and 2″ – 3″ less than its height. When your tree is placed in the hole, 2″ – 3″ of the root ball will sit above the ground level. Using the original soil, make a mix of ⅔ soil and ⅓ peat moss. Fill around the root ball, firming the soil lightly. Water thoroughly. Place a 2″ – 3″ layer of mulch over the ball to help insulate and retain moisture over the winter. Water your new tree once or twice during the winter.om the first part of October until Thanksgiving. During this period, any kind of light exposure between 5 pm and 8 am will delay flowering. A closet, opaque box or opaque cloth will keep the plant in darkness during those hours. Remember to put the plant near a sunny window in the daytime. Continue fertilizing the plant until mid-December.