Tips and Tricks for Trees and Xmas Festivities

Every Christmas we frequently get asked on the best way to care for trees, and those other festive flowers you see around at this time of year. They are really easy to care for, just as long as you pay attention to their native country of origin and care for them accordingly. Here we wanted to share with you some of the welath of our knowledge so that you can keep your tree in tip top condition until the twelfth night…..

1)      The most important - your Christmas tree! Keep in mind that their natural habitat isn’t a living room, our trees have spent the last seven years in the west coast of Scotland, so if your living room resembles these conditions you’re on to a winner. If not, you have to keep them cool. My top tip is to treat them like cut flowers. Keep it stood in water and keep them well away from radiators (if you must place it in front of one, be sure to switch it down first). Be aware of any appliances that can also increase heat – such as underfloor heating, or an appliance that gets very warm – all of these can cause needle loss on your tree as the tree overheats.

2)      Container grown trees. Again, they need to be kept cool and wet. They don’t like the shock of coming inside (in the same way we don’t like going outside!). No need to wrap it up in a scarf – just be sure to harden your tree off before bringing it inside and, more importantly, when you take it back outside after Christmas. This can be done by placing it in a much cooler room, such as a conservatory or a greenhouse, but even leaving it in a sheltered position by the wall of your house will be better than nothing. By getting your tree acclimatised for a few days you can avoid sudden needle drop. As with real trees, place in a pot inside and keep well-watered, and away from any heat sources – just remember that trees need to be kept cool and wet.

3)      Poinsettias. These are some of our favourites, we have a particularly lovely marbled white variety in store at the moment which I’m going to be taking home! Unlike other seasonal plants the poinsettia is, in fact, native to Central America, and so they like totally the opposite conditions to Christmas trees! Keep them warm and dry. If you notice leaf drop (the flower is actually a modified leaf), it is almost always caused by a cold draft getting to them. Treat them like the hot-house flower they really are.

4)      Winter roses. These are fantastic and not fussy at all! So, let’s not forget how you can trim up outside. These flowers are truly stunning and if you are looking for eco-friendly ways to get into the festive spirit, or if you want a decoration which will last all year round, we can’t think of anything better. They have a tremendously long flowering time, typically between November and February, although at the centre some of ours were blooming right into June! We particularly recommend the ‘Winter Princess’ variety. They grow well in sun or partial shade. Although traditionally grown outside, they are very tolerant and so can be kept on a kitchen windowsill for a short while (but do remember to harden them off too).

I hope this has answered any questions you may have, but we’re always happy to help you with any plant problems in store or on Facebook!