Check list twice before buying live yule tree

Instead of dreaming of a white Christmas, how about a green one?

Going green seems to have many meanings these days.

But the ultimate in having a green Christmas is purchasing a live tree this holiday season.

The idea is to buy a tree now, decorate it for the holidays and then transplant it to your landscape. It's good for you and good for the planet.

However, there is a right and wrong way to do it.

Before you buy a living tree, look at the possible restraints. Unlike a fresh-cut tree, live trees have a root ball. Depending on the size of the tree, the root ball may weigh 100 pounds or more.

Hefting that weight into your home is not easy. Check the weight of the proposed purchase before you buy.

Also, remember these trees need water. Unlike a cut tree where you keep the container filled, these trees need to have the root ball soaked regularly. Running a few gallons of water into a pot filled with black soil inside the house is risky, so make sure the carpet and other furnishings are protected.

One of the most common mistakes people make is not getting the right tree for the right spot in the landscape. While you want an attractive tree for the holidays, remember it will be in your home for a few days and in your landscape for decades.

Measure your landscape before you buy the tree.

Will the tree you are buying fit the landscape area without getting too large and interfering with the home?

Is it a tree that you find attractive and that will be a long-term asset to the landscape?

Select trees that are going to grow well in Utah.

While there are many evergreens that grow well here, not all of the trees you see in stores will survive our winters. Always check with a reliable nursery person before finalizing your purchase.

When it comes to choosing a suitable evergreen tree for northern Utah, you have a choice of about 45 species. Take out those that shed their needles and the arborvitaes, junipers and others that do not have horizontal branches suitable for decorating, and you are looking at pines, spruces and fir trees.

In the pine genus, the easiest ones to grow in Utah are the Austrian, Bosnian and Scotch pines. If you want something a little slower growing, consider the pinyon, Swiss mountain or bristlecone pine.

Other pines, including the Eastern white pine, lodge pole pine and ponderosa pine, are not always the best tree to try to grow in your landscape.