Environmental concern is not always the driving force behind choosing a living tree over a cut tree, he goes on to say.

“For most people, it is simply the ability to combine having a Christmas tree with the purchase of a tree that can be used in a particular part of the yard as a screen or such, when it is planted later on,” said Mr Ober.

A living Christmas tree can be a source of pride and beauty, but to protect the investment that goes with the purchase of a live evergreen, the average price being around $75, certain steps must be followed to ensure the health of the pine. The care of a living holiday tree is crucial once the holidays are over, say both Mr Ober and Tom Johnson, the owner of Lexington Gardens. Both nurserymen emphasize that the less time a tree has spent indoors, the better the chances of its long-term survival.

“Hopefully,” says Mr Johnson, “the tree will have been kept no longer than ten days in a cool room, and the root ball kept wet during that time.”

Even in a 60 degree room, “reverse dormancy” can occur, causing end buds to swell and open, cautions Mr Ober. Before that happens, ideally the tree will be planted outdoors, in a hole that was prepared before the ground froze. If the soil removed from the hole was kept in the thawed state, says Mr Ober, the tree can be placed in the hole and the unfrozen soil packed around it. The tree should be thoroughly watered when it is planted, and then watered again slowly with at least a bucket of water whenever a thaw occurs during the winter months.

Just as houseplants need to be hardened off in the spring prior to being set outside for the summer, an evergreen that has been indoors needs to be gently reintroduced to the elements. Moving the tree to an unheated garage or porch for a few days is recommended to reacclimate the tree.

Says Mr Johnson: “The worst thing is to put a tree that has been at 60 degrees directly out into five or ten degree temperatures. It becomes tender and is susceptible to environmental damage.”

If Mother Nature put down a hard frost before a hole could be dug, all is not lost. A pile of leaves about a foot deep can be placed over the selected planting area. This will defrost the soil deep enough to allow digging within a few days. If that is not an option, “Select a spot that is out of the wind and sun to store the tree until it can be planted,” suggests Mr Johnson, “and water the root ball.”

The prevention of water loss is essential to the health of the tree, he says, and the root ball must be kept from freezing. “An antidesiccant to spray on the needles can seal the breathing structure of the tree,” he says. “Then the tree gives off less water.”

As additional protection to the root ball, Mr Ober recommends “hilling in” a tree that is not immediately planted.

“Put the tree in a lightly shaded, protected spot and pile wood chips around the root ball,” he explained.

The equivalent of two bags of wood chips, or about six cubic feet, should keep the root ball safe, he says, for this temporary planting situation. Once the root ball freezes, damage will occur to the roots and affect its ability to draw up water when needed. The impairment may not be apparent until late May, when the tree comes out of its natural dormancy.

“The damaged roots show up then,” Mr Ober says, explaining that the injured roots are unable to pull water from the soil, and the tree dies.

Deer damage can occur to an evergreen stored or newly planted outdoors. For this reason, the prickly spruce tends to be the popular choice for living Christmas trees. Deer are more likely to make a snack out of the tender branches of a fir variety, says Mr Ober, and additional care should be taken to keep the vulnerable branches out of harm’s way.

With proper post-holiday care, a spruce or fir purchased to deck the halls has a good chance of surviving to grace the yard for decades to come.

“The main determining factor to the survivability of a living Christmas tree,” says Mr Ober, “is how long it has been in the house and how warm it was in the house.”