Growing my own Christmas tree?!?

Mutantk

Hello everyone, have recently acquired my own allotment which I love and am already filling with fruit and veggies but as I have plenty of room it occured to me to try and grow a Christmas tree on it...there are seeds available on ebay for Nordic Pine which is the one the shops mostly sell....Now clearly I won't be hanging baubles and tinsel on it this year but I wondered if anyone had ever tried this and if you think its likely that I may be able to cut one 3 or 4 foot high in the next few years. Sorry if this sounds really silly but I've never grown anything like it before so have no clue as to the timescale possibly involved - any help or tales of your own attempts to do this much appreciated!

westiea

Hi

Xmas Trees that are usually field grown rather than pot grown tend to be 'undercut' annually. This involves basically root pruning with a machine so that when they are lifted for sale the plant has a lot of small fibrous roots rather than huge long thick ones. It keeps the tree compact as it restricts top growth too.

It takes between 4-7 years dependent on growth to get to a reasonable height.

You could either dig the tree up every year and root prune with secateurs and transplant or grow in a pot - potting to a larger pot annually. Pot grown will need a John Innes no3 compost and food and water as necessary. Field grown will need a balanced feed when re-planting like blood fish & Bone Meal and a handful of growmore in spring would do no harm.

m33r4

I have been contemplating growing my own Christmas tree at the front of the house and adorning it with solar powered lights at Christmas time! I just don't want a variety that is heavy rooting being so close to the house. Any ideas on which variety to go for please?

datostar

m33r4 wrote: »

I have been contemplating growing my own Christmas tree at the front of the house and adorning it with solar powered lights at Christmas time! I just don't want a variety that is heavy rooting being so close to the house. Any ideas on which variety to go for please?

When we moved into our current house 15 years ago there was a nice sized Douglas Fir in the back garden about 8 feet tall which I used to put Christmas lights on. It's now well over 20 feet and we were designated as part of a Conservation Area 3 years ago so I can't do much with it without going through Council TPCA procedures.

They all grow tall (think telegraph poles!), so root restriction or growing one in a pot might be a good idea.

Kay_Peel

As an aside .......

I hadn't planned on buying a Christmas tree last year because we were going away for a couple of weeks. Our plans fell through and when I went out to buy a Christmas tree I found them manky and expensive.

I took out my chainsaw and lopped off a stout, straight branch of a huge conifer in my front garden. My family watched me in horror and embarressment through the window.

It was about 4 feet tall when I stood it upright. I anchored it in a bucket with stones and soil and left it in the garage to dry for a few days. It looked great, balanced, healthy and it smelt divine. It cost me nothing and my chainsaw exploits did not disfigure the tree in the slightest.

I've got my eye on another branch for Christmas 2010.:D

FOURCANDLES_2

Have 4 xmas trees in our garden bought over the years as 5-6ft pot grown planted out after xmas would hate to dig them up every year as they are growing great have also planted a 6 ft tree of knowledge , 6 ft douglas fir, 6 ft scot's pine all at the very end of the garden 150ft from the house sure I will be long gone when they look very high and impressive , also planted eucolyptus now 15ft a few other conifers they seem to love our garden and this past spring planted apple, pear,damson, . Love trees.