With the arrival of Christmas, many people decide to celebrate the holiday by placing its main symbol, which is the Christmas tree, which can be both artificial and natural. The latter, logically, give a better aesthetic appearance, but they also require greater care and maintenance.
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If you are thinking of buying a Christmas tree or have already done so, we are going to talk to you throughout this article about how to fertilize a Christmas tree. If you still do not have one, you should know that there are nurseries specialized in the production of Christmas trees, so it will not be difficult for you to find specimens of them, mainly Abides nordmanniana and Pica excels. The first one has a leaf that is more pleasant to the touch and has a prettier leaf, while the second species grows faster and is therefore cheaper.
Christmas tree options to buy
When buying Christmas trees for later decoration, there are four different options, which are the following:
- Extracted from the ground without any or very few roots: They are the most frequent today. In nurseries you can find specimens with very few roots or that are drilled at ground level, which causes them to die after the holidays. This makes them throwaway trees that need to be dumped into containers after the holidays. They are crushed and that material is recycled as fertilizer.
- Extracted with a root ball: In this case they are trees that are removed from the ground with some of their roots, which means that they can survive after purchase, being able to replant it in a garden or pot. However, it is difficult for them to survive.
- Grown in a pot: This tree is grown in a pot and can be kept as an indoor plant or as an outdoor plant without any problem, although it will have to be properly maintained, so you will have to water it every three days, put it in a large pot and drainage hole at the bottom, away from heating and moistening the leaves with a sprayer. In the case of fir and pine trees, they must be ventilated with outside air.
- Artificial: It is an alternative for those who want to have a tree that can last them several years.
What to do with the Christmas tree after the holidays:
Many people buy a Christmas tree for the holidays, but once the holidays have come to an end, it is time to put away all the decorations and save them for the following year. In the case of the tree, if it is natural, you may have the doubt of what to do with it, having the possibility of getting rid of it and disposing of it in the corresponding place or planting it again.
If you have a garden or terrace and your fir tree is ready to be planted again, this is a good option since you will contribute to the environment.
Fir tree care during the holidays
During the Christmas holidays the tree will be inside the house, which requires certain care so that it can survive so many days. It is essential that you provide enough moisture for it to survive.
To do this you must water your container at least twice a week or whenever you need it. You will know by checking the substrate. In the event that when you touch it with your hands you notice it caked, it will be too late, so you should try to make it always fluffy, not soaked. Water a little at a time.
With regard to its care, it is also important that you choose a suitable location for it, trying to find a place in the home that is bright and is away from the main sources of heat, such as radiators, fireplaces, incandescent light bulbs. , and so on. Also, keep the heating at a level that is acceptable, otherwise you will end the life of your Christmas tree.
Planting of the fir tree after Christmas
If it has survived the parties in your home, the time will come that, if you wish, you can plant the fir tree again. The ideal thing for them is to plant it in your garden or another green space in which the appropriate characteristics are given for it. Keep in mind that it is preferable not to plant it in the forest because it may be of a foreign species that causes a conflict with the native species present in it.
It is important that you bet on placing the fir in a place where there is enough shade, that is facing north and that has enough humidity. In this way, by providing these conditions, you can hopefully enjoy your tree in your garden for many years.
To plant it you will have to dig a generous hole, bearing in mind that fir trees like very deep soils; in addition to taking care of providing a nutritious substrate that also allows proper drainage. For this it must contain organic matter but also have sand or perlite in small quantities.
When planting it you should avoid burying its root too much, being necessary that the neck always remain on the surface. Once you take into account all of the above, it will be enough for you to carry out an appropriate maintenance. For this you will have to water your tree abundantly.
Harvesting of fir trees
If you have come this far, it is probably because you are interested in giving your Christmas tree a second life , although you should know that there is an alternative. This will be required in the event that the tree has not passed the summer season, since it will not be possible to plant it to continue its growth. This is the collection of fir trees that are carried out in many cities.
If there is no collection of fir trees in your city, you can always take it to a collection point for them and thus make the corresponding process for their destruction. The plant material obtained by crushing it is used to make padding that is used for different maintenance purposes.
Instructions for fertilizing a Christmas tree
If you have a Christmas tree that you want to fertilize so that it stays in good condition, you have to take into account that there are different ways to do it, being possible to use natural fertilizers such as manure, which is for sale in the form of compost, chemical fertilizers or base of small balls that have different elements of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, being perfect for nourishing plants.
To fertilize a tree in winter with fertilizer, you can resort to the use of fertilizer nails, following these steps:
- Make a few holes around the perimeter of the tree using a spike.
- Next you should take a slow release compost nail and drive it into the soil. To do this you must press lightly until it remains completely hidden in the ground.
- As you irrigate the water, the fertilizer clove will dissolve, which will make the tree absorb the water with the nutrients.
You can also opt for the use of fertilizers and fertilizers. In this case you must follow these steps:
- First of all, you must choose an appropriate fertilizer, then once a year it is advisable to place around the tree (not attached to the trunk), about 2 kilograms of organic fertilizer. You should mix this with a little soil to avoid damaging the superficial roots. You can also spread 80 grams per tree of slow release mineral fertilizer.
- In the event that you opt for organic fertilizer, you should do it in winter, while if you use mineral fertilizer, in spring and autumn
- If the trees are on the lawn, the fertilizers applied to the lawn will be enough for the trees.
What do you need to pay for a Christmas tree?
- Fertilizer
- Nature tree
Tips for fertilizing a Christmas tree
- When choosing a fertilizer for your tree, it is important to keep in mind that there are a large number of different fertilizers on the market, being able to find liquid or solid fertilizers, fast or slow release, etc.
- The fertilizer should not be made throughout the year, but should be removed during the winter, since this is when the plants stop growing, so they do not require fertilizer.
- If you intend to plant your Christmas tree once the holidays have passed, it is important that you try to maintain all the necessary care during the holidays so that it reaches the end of the same in a position to be planted again in your garden or in that space that you have thought for him.
- When planting the fir trees after Christmas, it is important that you take into account the weather and the area in which you are, since there are climatic circumstances that are not appropriate for a fir tree.
- Sometimes it is not necessary to resort to fertilizer for the growth of the tree, although other times it is, since the soil in the garden is not good enough for it. To improve it, the extracted soil is mixed with an appropriate fertilizer substrate, with a mixture percentage that will vary between 20 and 60% depending on the quality of the garden soil.
