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Christmas is around the corner and it's time to get in the festive mood, but that doesn't need to mean forgetting about the environment. Did you know that six million trees go into landfill every year?
Ninety percent of UK households have a Christmas tree on display during the festive season. There are so many types of tree available, but according to the Carbon Trust buying a real cut tree can have a significantly lower carbon footprint than an artificial tree (36.5kg on average), particularly if it is responsibly grown, sourced locally, and disposed of responsibly. However, if you can realistically reuse your artificial tree for many years (between 7 – 20) this can be better for the environment than buying a cut tree every year. Larger artificial trees containing more materials generally need to be reused for longer periods of time than smaller ones to be as good or better for the environment than real cut trees.
If you are planning on buying a real Christmas tree this year you can reduce the environmental impact by investing in a potted tree that’s still growing. These can be grown in your garden over the rest of the year and will absorb carbon from the atmosphere as they get bigger. At Bloombox we have a selection of eco-friendly pot grown Christmas trees that can either be replanted in your garden afterwards to enjoy or reused the following year.
Growing a Christmas tree in a pot: does it really work?
Many people doubt that it is possible to grow a Christmas tree in a pot and therefore opt for the traditional annual Christmas tree. In reality, growing a potted Christmas tree is relatively easy. At Bloombox Club, our care guides outline how to care for each of our potted trees.
Firstly, it is important to be careful when choosing a potted tree because not all Christmas trees are suitable for keeping in a pot. For example, plants that were grown outdoors and only are transferred into a pot shortly before being sold usually die quickly because their sensitive roots are damaged when potted. As a result, trees that have been grown in pots from the start are better suited for a life as a sustainable Christmas tree.
Looking for a top tip? It is especially important to buy the pot-grown Christmas tree early – before moving it into a heated living room, allow it to acclimatise for a week. To do so, place the Christmas tree in a cool, unheated area, such as a hallway or a conservatory for at least a week. If the potted Christmas tree is not allowed to acclimatise, it will quickly drop needles and look sickly.
Once in the living room, the location of the potted Christmas tree is critical – conifers do not like hot air, so place the tree in the coldest spot in the room. Spruces like a bright to semi-shady spot while firs are also happy in shady spots during the winter. Water your potted Christmas tree every two days with lukewarm water, but make sure to avoid waterlogging. In addition, you can moisten the needles with a spray bottle to prevent them from drying out from the warm heated air.
Advantages of potted Christmas trees
As an alternative to the traditional cut down Christmas tree, the strength of the real Christmas tree in a pot lies in its sustainability: instead of fetching a Christmas tree from a large monoculture every year, the potted Christmas tree can be used for several years. However, many of the potted trees also come from large plantations and are therefore associated with a burden on the environment, as pesticides and artificial fertilisers are frequently used in the large Christmas tree monocultures. However, it is pretty easy to avoid this by selecting a tree that has either been locally grown or is organic.
The best pot grown Christmas trees
At Bloombox Club, we have carefully selected the trees that are best suited for pot growth. All our trees are hand picked by experts and have been grown in pots from the start.
Blue Spruce
The Blue Spruce brings a sense of elegance to your home, with its traditional shape, dense branches with immeasurable needles, and striking blue-grey tint. It’s adored as a Christmas tree for being a joy to decorate and releasing a subtle pine scent in your home.
With iconic blue-green foliage, the Blue Spruce is native to North America and grows abundantly in the Rocky Mountains. It is hugely popular as a Christmas tree around the world thanks to its luxurious, dense foliage with slightly waxy blue-green needles. The sublime hint of blue-grey in the needles of the pot-grown Blue Spruce is a unique feature that pairs perfectly with durable non-plastic Fairy lights. It looks truly regal in your home. Come Springtime, or later, you can replant it directly in your garden!
Dwarf Norway Spruce
The quintessential original Christmas tree, the Norway Spruce has been grown on UK shores since Victorian times and is the variety people mostly associate with Christmas. It's classic shape, look and fresh scent all contribute to that traditional and nostalgic Christmas feeling. Sporting dark green foliage all year round and featuring a good symmetrical conical shape, with thin prickly needles that sit sharply rigid, perfect for hanging up those decoration. Luckily the Dwarf Norway Spruce is a slow growing tree and can stay in their pot.
It can be your Christmas tree for many festive seasons to come, and you can also plant it directly in your garden come springtime. Or plant it in your future garden…simply take your time.
Prickly Pine
The dense growth habit of the Prickly pine makes it one of our favourites and the most searched options when it comes to living and potted Christmas trees.
Not disposable and not in plastic! Keep your Christmas memories alive throughout the years, this living evergreen will stay healthy and slowly growing at home for years to come.
Once Christmas is over, you can integrate it into a more forestry house plant collection, adorn doorways and terraces or even replant it in your garden come springtime!
