How to Keep a Living Christmas Tree Alive

Plan a short indoor visit for a rooted Christmas tree, protect its roots, and prepare for planting with guidance from university extension.

Published by ThriveThyme

christmas tree holiday winter tree care

The Short Answer

Keep a rooted Christmas tree indoors as briefly as possible. Iowa State and UNH set a maximum of 7 to 10 days. Cornell recommends only 4 to 7 days. Keep it cool, check its roots for moisture, and give it a gradual transition back outdoors. Survival is not assured in a harsh winter, even with careful preparation (Iowa State).

Use the Living Christmas Tree Planner to work backward from the day you bring it inside. The dates organize the steps; they cannot tell you whether your yard is ready for planting.

Prepare before the ground freezes

Choose a site with room for the mature tree. Dig a hole that fits the root ball before the ground freezes, fill it with straw, and store the excavated soil where it will not freeze. November is the Chicago Botanic Garden recommendation for its region, not a universal deadline.

Sources: Iowa State Extension, Planting an evergreen after Christmas, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Success with Live Christmas Trees, Chicago Botanic Garden, Live holiday trees.

Ease the tree indoors

UNH recommends buying a week or two before the indoor date and keeping the tree in an unheated garage, shed, or porch during the transition. Keep the roots moist.

Sources: UNH Extension, Living Christmas Trees.

Keep the indoor visit short

Iowa State limits the indoor stay to 7 to 10 days; shorter is better. Cornell is stricter, recommending 4 to 7 days at most. Warmth can break dormancy, leaving new growth vulnerable to cold outdoors.

Sources: Iowa State Extension, Planting an evergreen after Christmas, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Success with Live Christmas Trees.

Choose a cool room

Keep the tree away from heating vents, fireplaces, and other heat sources. Check the root ball daily and water as needed to keep it moist. Do not leave it standing in water.

Sources: Iowa State Extension, Planting an evergreen after Christmas, UNH Extension, Living Christmas Trees.

Move back through the garage

After the indoor stay, return the tree to a cool garage or porch before moving it outside. Cornell recommends about a week. Iowa State says not to let the soil freeze during this transition.

Sources: Iowa State Extension, Planting an evergreen after Christmas, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Success with Live Christmas Trees.

Plant only when conditions allow

Iowa State describes planting on a mild winter day in the prepared hole: remove the straw, plant, water well, and mulch. UNH instead recommends holding the tree in an unheated structure and planting in spring after the soil thaws and dries. Ask local extension which approach fits your winter.

Sources: Iowa State Extension, Planting an evergreen after Christmas, UNH Extension, Living Christmas Trees.

Choose for the yard, not just the room

Check local hardiness and mature size before buying. Cornell recommends an open site clear of overhead branches and wires, or a dwarf conifer where space is limited. A 5 foot balled tree can weigh up to 200 pounds, according to Chicago Botanic Garden. Plan how to move it before purchase.

Sources: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Success with Live Christmas Trees, Chicago Botanic Garden, Live holiday trees.

Winter Planting Is a Local Decision

The sources differ on when to plant. Iowa State describes planting on a mild winter day in a hole prepared in fall, followed by watering and mulch. Cornell also allows planting after the garage transition, with protected storage until spring if snow prevents it. UNH recommends keeping the tree in an unheated structure for the rest of winter and planting once the soil has thawed and dried in spring. Do not turn a calculated date into an instruction to plant in frozen ground. Ask your local extension office which approach fits your site.

Next Steps

Sources