LIVE CHRISTMAS TREES

Using a live evergreen as a Christmas tree is limiting and requires extra work, but it is a beautiful gesture that will grow with your family year after year.

Preparation:
Select your planting site and dig a hole before the ground freezes. The hole should be twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball. Store backfill in a garage or shed to prevent freezing. Cover the hole with boards or fill with mulch for safety purposes.

The tree can be stored outside, but one week before bringing it indoors, move the tree into an unheated garage, porch or shed. This will help the tree acclimate to an indoor environment. Spray the tree with an anti-desiccant such as Wilt-Pruf to minimize drying and needle loss. Place the tree in a large, water-tight container and begin watering. Do not overwater, causing water to pool. The root ball should be moist but not soaking wet.

Bringing the Tree Inside:
The tree should not be inside for more than a week. When you do bring it in, site the tree away from direct sun and any heat sources such as vents and fireplaces. Also, keep Christmas lights to a minimum. Keep the tree watered.

Planting:
After seven days, move the tree back out into the unheated but protected area and keep watering it. Upon purchase of the tree, Hollandia provides a planting guide. Follow those instructions. Once the tree is planted, stop watering.

Tools and Supplies:

• Shovel
• Wheelbarrow for carting the soil
• A large container
• Peat Moss
• Mulch
• Anti-desiccant spray (Wilt-Pruf)
• Plant-Tone

FRESH-CUT CHRISTMAS TREES

Hollandia cuts its trees from the mountains of Vermont and North Carolina, pinpointing regions that have received the optimum moisture for needle retention.

We offer a large selection of Fraser and Balsam fir trees. Fraser fir is celebrated for holding its needles longer than other varieties. Strong, dense branches have silver and green, inch-long needles. Balsam fir is famed for its wonderful fragrance and shape.

Storage Before Decorating:
Until you are ready to bring the tree inside, store it in a protected but unheated area such as a porch or garage. When it is time, make a fresh cut across the base of the tree, about an inch from the original cut. Our staff can provide a cut at the time of purchase.

Siting the Tree:
Do not place the tree near direct heating sources such as vents, fireplaces, radiators, and television sets. Keeping it away from direct sun also helps. Watering: Place the tree in a stand that holds at least a few quarts of water. Mix the water with a tree preservative. Sugar and other preservatives help keep the tree fresher longer. Do not use regular sugar unless you melt the crystals first. IMPORTANT – KEEP THE TREE STAND FILLED WITH WATER. When the stand goes dry, sap dries on the stump, sealing it and preventing the tree from drawing water. If this happens, put a new cut on the tree. When a tree lacks water, needles drop, boughs droop, fragrance lessens, and it becomes a fire hazard. Within the first 24 hours of bringing the tree inside, it will draw as much as a gallon of water and one or more quarts per day thereafter.

Cleanup
Tree removal bags are perfect for placing underneath the stand to protect the floor from moisture and will enable an easy cleanup. Another cleanup option is to place the tree outside underneath a birdfeeder, providing the animals with extra cover. Compost it in the spring.