Live Christmas Trees

[Nexus]

Well the one I bought from Homebase was in a plastic pot, but no idea if it was grown in a pot or not. The roots were bursting through it somewhat, so maybe it was.

The instructions on the label said it was suitable for planting after Xmas as it had full instructions on how; and the gardening expert they had said it was fine to do so as I already said.

A year on it's doing fine. As I said, it had some brown needles which developed after Xmas. If anything I'd put that down to it having being indoors, then I was away for 6 weeks from March, so I couldn't water it and didn't properly pot it in a huge pot until then, so possibly explains it.

 

[Glaucus]

It's not, because it's rotting in the garden. And it's not carbon neutral because you're putting carbon inputs from fossil fuels in the form of chainsawing/digging and transport. Once you start adding in the flows it's not quite as straightforward.

Thats what i said.
the actuall rotting is carbon neutrall or near enough, also as it makes a product you also regain some just like if it was used for energy production. I would also think transport is less in the uk tha canada.

 

[Eddie]

Well the one I bought from Homebase was in a plastic pot, but no idea if it was grown in a pot or not. The roots were bursting through it somewhat, so maybe it was.

The instructions on the label said it was suitable for planting after Xmas as it had full instructions on how; and the gardening expert they had said it was fine to do so as I already said.

A year on it's doing fine. As I said, it had some brown needles which developed after Xmas. If anything I'd put that down to it having being indoors, then I was away for 6 weeks from March, so I couldn't water it and didn't properly pot it in a huge pot until then, so possibly explains it.

Right, thanks again for posting, I'll have a look in Homebase and see what the crack is. I suppose I know a little more about it now than I did the other night so I can ask the right questions.

 

[Captain_Slick]

"This tree is not suited to replanting outdoors" means "It will die after Christmas". If only B&Q was frank like that...

People buy them because they prefer real trees (smell/looks/colour) but have nowhere to plant them, or don't want to have a christmas tree all year round.

Like Nexus points out above - always read the label.

I think the GYO we sell are a pretty good deal though. Plant it as a miniature tree and watch it turn into a mahoosive one (says it'll grow 3ft a year IIRC). Great for kids.

 

[clv101]

I don't like the idea of chucking a real tree out after xmas as it seems a tad wasteful and not very environmentally friendly so I bought a live xmas tree last night from B&Q thinking I'll be able to plant it out it in the garden after xmas.

I shouldn't worry too much about the environmental aspect. Christmas trees are all grown 'sustainably', they are just a crop. Only difference is they take 3-10 years. In fact I'd argue a real tree from a nearby grower is better than a plastic one from China.

I've known of mixed success with live trees. The key might be to just not keep it indoors much, just bring it in on the 22nd or something and have it back out again by 28th. Good chance of lasting ~6 days assuming your house isn't too hot.

Expecting it to survive 3 weeks at 25C is asking too much though.

 

[Captain_Slick]

I've known of mixed success with live trees. The key might be to just not keep it indoors much, just bring it in on the 22nd or something and have it back out again by 28th. Good chance of lasting ~6 days assuming your house isn't too hot.

Expecting it to survive 3 weeks at 25C is asking too much though.

This, pretty much. Too many people don't realise the massive impact that heat has on plants in general.

shoot1st, I will stress that I have known people in the past to replant our potted trees regardless of what the label says, but then those people were qualified horticulturists and they did go through each and every one finding the one they wanted to replant. It's luck of the draw.

You shouldn't have any problem returning it.

 

[Eddie]

"This tree is not suited to replanting outdoors" means "It will die after Christmas". If only B&Q was frank like that...

People buy them because they prefer real trees (smell/looks/colour) but have nowhere to plant them, or don't want to have a christmas tree all year round.

Like Nexus points out above - always read the label.

I think the GYO we sell are a pretty good deal though. Plant it as a miniature tree and watch it turn into a mahoosive one (says it'll grow 3ft a year IIRC). Great for kids.

I understand why people might prefer a real tree over a plastic one, I do myself, but I don't undertsand why people will pick a potted one over a sawn-off one.

Incidentally, the gf has just been on the phone to B&Q and the woman she spoke to said that she didn't realise that that is the case with their potted xmas trees either, she said she thought the reason they were sold in a pot was so that it lived on after xmas. She also said that the store would take the tree back no problem, which I was pleased to hear.

 

[Captain_Slick]

To stick outside for over the Christmas period? A lot of our potted ones go to pubs and shops and such.

If she spoke to someone on the returns desk/switchboard, chances are she's never been outside in the garden centre. Seriously. People in my store know very very little about the products we sell unless they work in that specific area. If she does in fact work on seasonal, then she's clearly not been paying much attention. They've said that on the label for as long as I've worked there.

They also say that on the label as a get out clause in case it does die.

 

[Eddie]

To stick outside for over the Christmas period? A lot of our potted ones go to pubs and shops and such.

If she spoke to someone on the returns desk/switchboard, chances are she's never been outside in the garden centre. Seriously. People in my store know very very little about the products we sell unless they work in that specific area. If she does in fact work on seasonal, then she's clearly not been paying much attention. They've said that on the label for as long as I've worked there.

They also say that on the label as a get out clause in case it does die.

It doesn't answer the question though, surely you could still buy a sawn-off one to stick outside, why does it have to be one that is in a pot? Forgive my ignorance on this btw, I am no gardener (as I'm sure is painfully obvious ).

The gf spoke to someone at head office and also to someone at the local branch, both said the same thing.

 

[Glaucus]

Root ones retain needles better, it's been said many times. Thats why people buy them.

 

[Cuchulain]

Jesus christ on a bike, all this "carbon footprint" and "evironmentally friendly" crap really rags my pish.

I for one will be hacking down whichever tree looks nice and burning it soon after Christmas, I'll also be piling at least a tonne of coal onto my open fire, I might even burn some old tyres smothered in used motor oil in my back garden just to counteract the sheer gayness of you eco-friendly woad-dyed woofters.

 

[Glaucus]

We were just discusing it, I'm certainly not an eco person.

 

[colzboppo]

Jesus christ on a bike, all this "carbon footprint" and "evironmentally friendly" crap really rags my pish.

I for one will be hacking down whichever tree looks nice and burning it soon after Christmas, I'll also be piling at least a tonne of coal onto my open fire, I might even burn some old tyres smothered in used motor oil in my back garden just to counteract the sheer gayness of you eco-friendly woad-dyed woofters.

ha ha ha!

 

[Eddie]

Root ones retain needles better, it's been said many times. Thats why people buy them.

So is every no-drop tree only a no-drop tree because it is supplied in a pot? Is it the pot that makes them no-drop, i.e. it stays fresher for longer?

I ask because I'm sure I've seen sawn-off trees that are sold as 'no-drop' trees.

 

[Glaucus]

No drop i belive are selectedly breed for reduced needle drop but they still drop.

 

[Captain_Slick]

It doesn't answer the question though, surely you could still buy a sawn-off one to stick outside, why does it have to be one that is in a pot? Forgive my ignorance on this btw, I am no gardener (as I'm sure is painfully obvious ).

The gf spoke to someone at head office and also to someone at the local branch, both said the same thing.

Doesn't surprise me. This business, like all, is full of people who don't know what they're on about.

Potted ones are generally different shapes and smaller than cut ones, for a start.

 

[Captain_Slick]

No drop i belive are selectedly breed for reduced needle drop but they still drop.

And this.

Some of our cut trees are sold as 'low needle drop', none are sold as 'no needle drop'.

 

[Eddie]

Just read this on the B&Q website...

''The main advantage of the potted tree is that it can be kept fresh, and has no need for a stand. They come in a pot with soil and if well looked after the tree can be replanted after the festive period and look beautiful in any garden."

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templ...dge/buying_guides/christmas/trees_wreaths.jsp

I might just give up and get a plastic one

 

[Cosmic182]

I was just gonna say before someone else did, Bq ones are crap! they just pot them themselves, and certainly cannot replant them after.

 

[Eddie]

Well, just been on to some B&Q gardening expert and he too doesn't see the point of buying a tree in a pot if it has its roots chopped off as he said it's just going to die. He also said that the website is misleading and that he would request that it be changed.

I'm going to take this one back and get one that is specifically designed to either be replanted or repotted.

Edit: This is what I'm after, cheaper too...

From Homebase if anyone's interested.