by Ann C Evans

Created on: August 15, 2009

Whether you buy a real tree or a living tree this Christmas is of course a matter of choice. When making that choice there are a couple of issues to consider.

Do you want the tree to last, only over the Christmas period and thus condemning it to the recycling depot afterwards or do you want to keep it and replant it.

Of course there is nothing wrong with re-cycling your real tree; millions of people choose this option; you are after all, putting something back into the environment in the way of garden mulch.

When you buy a real tree (a tree without a root ball), you are virtually buying a tree which has stopped living, just like when you buy a bunch of flowers. You buy it solely for the festive season and that is that.

A good way of getting the most out of your Christmas tree is to buy a living tree and afterwards replant it. A living tree has a root ball wrapped usually in burlap, a kind of jute-type material. After Christmas you can replant it in the garden as part of the hedgerow; you can plant it as an ornamental specimen in its own right or you can grow it in a large tub, where it can be brought indoors again for the following Christmas. If you decide on the tub option, then eventually the tree will need to be planted out in the garden after so many years. The benefits of replanting your tree in the garden are you will accumulate over time, an impressive collection of trees together with many memories of bygone Christmases.

If you are choosing to replant your tree in the garden then a good tip is to pre-dig the hole for the tree well in advance of Christmas; this is more so advantageous if you live in a particular cold area because by doing so the soil will be easier to handle with less chance of it being frozen hard. Make sure the hole is twice as big as the root ball; you can store the surplus soil in the garage or basement until the replanting takes place after Christmas. While the empty hole is left unattended, put some mulch or the like in the hole temporarily so as to keep it intact.

Make sure when buying your tree for replanting that it has a good size root ball wrapped in burlap. Choose a healthy looking tree which is not turning brown on any of its branches and that the branches are nice and strong and springy; try tugging at the needles to see how firm they stick to the branches; they shouldn't come off too easily.

While the tree is in the house make sure it doesn't dry out; it will require a little more water than usual because of

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