Estabrook's Garden Newsletter

Living Christmas Trees Now Available!

"Go green" this Christmas with a living tree

Do you enjoy the fragrance and charm of a traditional Christmas tree but hate throwing them out year after year? A living Christmas tree could be the solution.

Living Christmas trees can be purchased now, transferred indoors in time for the holidays and then return to your landscape as a permanent fixture and memory of the season. In order to help the transition and keep your living Christmas tree looking its best, we recommend following these care instructions:

1. Locate a spot where you'd like to place the tree after the holidays and dig a hole almost as deep and twice as wide as the tree's root system. By digging now, you won't have to worry about dealing with frozen soil in late December.
2. Choose a date you want to bring your tree indoors (living Christmas trees normally last 7-10 days indoors) and place your tree in a garage or enclosed porch 3-4 days before that date. This will help your tree transition to warmer temperatures and reduce system shock. It's also a good idea to check the tree for critters at this point.
3. Treat your tree with WILT-PRUF (see the article below for more information) to reduce needle loss or wilting and help retain moisture.
4. After 3-4 days have passed, place your tree in a cool part of your home and away from any heating sources.
5. Since your living Christmas tree will have a root ball instead of a trunk, you'll need something other than a traditional tree stand. A large tub works great. Just make sure it can both stabilize the root ball and allow plenty of water to sit inside. Bricks or rocks can help stabilize the tree.
6. Your living Christmas tree can typically be enjoyed for 7-10 days indoors with an appropriate amount of water. Never add other nutrients or fertilizers which may promote growth.
7. After the holidays are over, reintroduce your tree to the outdoors by following these instructions in reverse. Please consult our Tree Planting Guide for detailed planting instructions.

Protect Your Plants and Greens with WILT-PRUF

WILT-PRUF dries clear and protects your plants and greens from harsh winter conditions

Excessive moisture loss in plants can cause stress, shock, wilting and plant failure. This is especially a problem during the winter when drying winds and frozen ground deprive plants of their natural moisture intake.

WILT-PRUF to the rescue!

WILT-PRUF acts as a protective coating that holds in moisture on plant foliage and stems, thereby substantially reducing water loss during periods of plant stress. Available in a ready-to-use spray form or concentrate, it dries to form a clear, colorless, flexible, gloss film without interfering with plant growth or materially affecting respiration, osmosis, or photosynthesis. A natural product derived from the resin of the pine tree, WILT-PRUF is organic, biodegradable, non-hazardous, and is non-toxic to eyes and skin.

For Plants

WILT-PRUF will protect your valuable shrubs such as evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas, hollies, boxwood, laurel, and many other ornamentals. These broadleaf evergreens have a natural ability to survive when normal water intake through the root system is curtailed, but if the plants are exposed to severe drying winds or drought situations, they may not have enough moisture built up in their foliage to survive long periods without absorbing water. WILT-PRUF gives them enough added protection to see them through long or severe periods of water stress. Unsightly wind barriers may also be eliminated by protecting these plants with WILT-PRUF.

For Greens

WILT-PRUF can also be used to keep your Christmas trees, wreaths and greens looking their very best throughout the holiday season. Simply follow the easy application instructions on the containers and allow the treated material to air dry.