XMAS Tree to Plant...

[Outdoor Family]

This year we have started a new family tradition. Instead of buying a cut XMAS tree, we bought a Colorado Spruce tree to decorate and then plant this spring on our property. Anyone have any experience on spruce trees and should they be fenced in?? How should it be handled till spring? I’m thinking of keeping it in the garage and keep it watered?? Maybe in the house???It’s about 4 feet now…
Any insight....

 

[bjkpharmd]

I would think concertina wire would be required to keep the deer off it at my place. Seriously- search the archives on TimberPig"s cages and I'd anchor that with a couple steel t-posts.

 

[BriarwoodBottoms]

If it is balled and burlaped or in a plastic container I would suggest leaving it outside and just mulching the ball. You can use hay, straw, wood chips etc. You just want to keep the roots from freezing and being exposed to all the elements of winter. It is possible to stunt the root tips or even kill the spruce without some sort of protection. I personally would not store it inside either. It has to still collect sunlight and breathe. I work at a golf course and get 50-100 trees each fall and they get planted about this time of year. There are always a couple that we are unsure of where to plant so we just mulch them over winter and I have yet to lose one the following spring. As far as the deer tearing it up on you it would probably be smart to fence of for a year or two. I have planted spruce and hemlock on my farm 3-4 ft tall also with no fence and they have been untouched.

 

[TimberPig]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pharmer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would think concertina wire would be required to keep the deer off it at my place. Seriously- search the archives on TimberPig"s cages and I'd anchor that with a couple steel t-posts. </div></div>

Just an FYI on the fencing, as my trees are getting taller (4'-6'), the bucks have begun leaning over the fencing to rub the trunks. They must really like to rub the pines because you can see where they have smashed down part of the fencing while leaning in. Even the short fencing slows them down some and I think all the rubbed trees will survive, no major damage. Since all my fencing is free scraps from farmers the height varies.
It appears that the fence needs to be about 42" tall to be totally effective. If you can only find shorter fencing, make the cage at least 6' across and stake it so that they cant smash it down much.