Do these trees have a chance of survival

[pajamma]

I was hoping for some feedback - the local Home Depot has live x-mas trees in their lot, and they usually go on clearance about now.

I'm wondering if these are dead trees standing, though, because they have them completely unprotected, just sitting out on the pavement. Some are in pots, some are balled and burlap. We've had quite a few nights in the teens here in Western PA. The trees look OK, but I have to suspect the rootballs have frozen through and through.

They're mostly Frasier Firs, Blue Spruce, and White Pine.

Thanks for any advice, Seth

[Anthony B]

Seth, They should be okay still... But is you notice, most places that normally garuntee their trees or shrubs will not garruntee live xmas (BTW I have a heck of a time spelling guarantee) trees.

The trick is to store them in a sheltered unheated location, don't bring them in until about a week before Christmas, Keep them in a large tub filled with damp shredded mulch or peat moss and have the hole dug and ready and get them in the ground the morning following Christmas..

There will still be a higher than normal mortality rate on the live trees, with the White Pine being slightly more "delicate" than the fir or the spruce.

Hope this helps, Anthony D. Ky Nursery and Landscape Association Certified KY Nurseryman

[Doug Kanter]

Can you offer any guidance to the OP about which of the varieties he mentioned might have needles which double as lethal weapons? He might want to avoid that, depending on where he's going to plant the tree eventually. I've got some sort of dart-throwing monster in my yard. The needles actually embed themselves in the centers of lettuce & other leafy plants. They get stuck in the intake grill of my truck, and laugh at the shop-vac's efforts to remove them, even when they're standing vertically in the holes (not wedged sideways). The tree itself is gorgeous, and is one reason the house is nice a cool in the summer. Otherwise, I'd murder it.

[Anthony B]

Dart throwing critters, Huh,Doug? I am sure you are serious, but it does seem funny in a way.

Seth, If you think you may have dart throwing monsters in YOUR yard, I would steer clear of the Blue Spruces.. They have large,stiff, very pointy needles just right for use by dart throwing monsters. :)

AnthonyB.

[Doug Kanter]

Maybe that's what I've got. In all fairness, it wasn't the tree's fault - it was mine. The only place I could locate my vegetable garden was in a spot which is downwind of the tree, relative to the prevailing October wind. Just when lettuce and other greens are getting really tasty, the tree also thinks it's time to drop needles. The wind slings them right into the hearts of the plants. No more simply washing lettuce - they need to be un-darted. :-)

[Anthony B]

I can see how a lettuce head full of conifer needles could be a pain (literally and figuratively) . Perhaps you may want to cover your lettue bed with some row cover to keep the needles out of the heads? that should fix the problem much more easily than having to resort to bieng rid of the tree.

[Doug Kanter]

I came up with a good solution. I already keep the rows covered with big U-shaped tunnels made of fence wire, to prevent visits by deer, rabbits, etc. I'm going to cover the tunnels with window screen. I'd never take down the tree. I can't imagine how many tons of air conditioning its shade is equal to.

[pajamma]

Thanks Anthony, Doug,

I picked up three - two Frasier Firs and one of the dreaded Blue Spruces. The pines looked too weathered. The ones I got are in giant plastic pots, not burlap, so I'm hoping they're OK. I kicked a couple of the burlap ones, and it was like kicking steel.

Cheers, Seth