When farmers start decorating their wares for the holidays, you know Christmas has arrived! At the downtown Sacramento Sunday farmers’ market, Tadlock Landscapes wins the prize for most festive. Donned merrily in bright bulbs and shiny beads, they’re selling this fully-decorated living tree for $60. That’s a bargain price for a tree you can keep around year after year.
Looking for something cheaper? They’ve got lots of sizes and prices from which to choose. If you love the scent of pine, but can’t bear to cut down a real tree, a living tree is a delightful way to celebrate the holiday. And buying it from a local farmer?—Double brownie points for you. Your name is sure to land on Santa’s “nice†list this year!
The Sac Rag 
Went the living tee route for years. I felt sorry for the rootbound living trees, and planted ’em after xmas. Now I’ve got 8 freaking pines/redwoods lifting the garage. Lopping the top off for a free tree seems to defeat the point…
Don’t buy into the “living tree” scam unless you have a place to let it grow for decades after. Like a beloved pet, don’t just assume it’ll “work out” somehow after X-mas season.
And for heaven’s sake, DO NOT take your living tree out into the country and let it go free range. These are domesticated trees, that will not survive without TLC. At the least, look for a living tree shelter in your county. Merry Treemas.
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I have a trick for you… If you want to keep a tree in a smaller pot, here’s what you do… Each Spring, take it out of the pot and cut off the bottom half of the roots/soil. Add more potting mix to your pot, put the tree back in, and you’ll be good to go for another year. And you can avoid it getting root bound. Happy trees! Happy people! 🙂
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