Planting Your Holiday Tree

By Andrea Peck

How do I plant my live tree after the holidays are over?

Once the holiday festivities die down you may be anxious to burn off your mashed potatoes by getting in some farm-style, high- intensity exercise, also known as gardening. What's better than planting your own live tree?

Hopefully you have carefully researched your tree selection. Make sure your tree matches the size and resources of your own yard. A giant Sequoia redwood may prove problematic for most landscapes on the Central Coast because it requires a large amount of water and has very specific growth habits. One tree that grows readily in our area is the Italian stone pine. No matter your choice, be sure that the tree is in good condition.  Once home, it is recommended that the tree be placed in a garage or shed for a few days before bringing it inside to help it adjust to the warm indoor temperatures.

While lavishing your tree with multi-colored trinkets, keep your tree moist and away from heat sources. Ideally, it should be indoors for ten days or less.  When the time comes, move the tree to the garage again. Here it can adjust back to cooler temperatures.

Plant your tree in a sunny location that allows for full growth. Fertile, well- draining soil need not be amended. Dig a hole that is the same depth, but at least three times wider than the size of the root ball.  Loosen roots of container grown plants trees. Roots can become bound up in the container and may continue to grow in a girdling fashion unless loosened or cut. Place the tree in the hole, and remove all containers, burlap and wire from the root ball.  The root flare, or the area where the major roots and trunk of the tree intersect, should be at, or slightly above, the existing soil line. Backfill soil, making sure it is firmly in place. Create a berm to retain water at the root level. Mulch thickly, leaving a few inches of space around the trunk of the tree.