How to use a live potted tree for a greener Christmas

Environmental concerns may have you thinking about using a live Christmas tree for the holidays. Artificial trees often end up in land fills. Real cut trees are often used once and discarded. You can donate them to your city mulching and recycling program but somehow it never gets done. Why not try using a live, potted Christmas tree this year? Not sure how to do it? These tips can help you keep your live Christmas tree in the best condition before, during and after the holidays.

Keep it outside for a few days, or not.

When you first purchase your live Christmas tree from a nursery where it has been kept outside, give it some time to adjust. Moving the tree may cause it some shock. Keep it outside for a few days until it gets used to being taken from home.

If your tree was purchased from an indoor nursery, bring it in the house right away.

Keep in natural light.

Once your live Christmas tree is ready to bring into the house, keep it in natural light. Live Christmas trees do best in front of a large window. This gives them the sun they need on a daily basis. Keep the soil moist, not wet. Extremes of any kind may cause your live Christmas tree to go into shock and die.

Avoid heat and air ducts.

Fluctuating temperatures are no good for your live Christmas tree. Take care to place it away from heat and air ducts. Even though evergreen trees are used to the cold, they don't appreciate going from hot to cold and back again. They're used to the more gradual temperature changes of mother nature.

Wait to decorate and be gentle.

Once you bring your live Christmas tree indoors, give it a breather. Let it adjust to the new environment in your home before loading it with ornaments. When you do decorate, go a little lighter than you normally would. Skip the lights or just use a few. Decorate gently and without heavy ornaments.

Harden off before re-planting.

Just like any other plant, a live Christmas tree should be hardened off before bringing it outdoors in the pot. To harden off your tree, bring it out of doors for a few hours each day. Do this for four or five days before leaving it outdoors permanently. It's best to leave it outdoors in the pot for the winter. However, do make sure the pot is sheltered from the elements. Plant in spring to green up your yard.