Real Christmas trees - could someone explain?

[Hellenabe]

Dumb question i know but I'd like to get a real Christmas tree this year but I'm just confused about which tree. If its unpotted, how do you store/display it? Unpotted are bigger but do they stand up well? I'm not planning on replanting them.

Christmas tree stand.

Basically a small metal bucket with holes for screws that hold it in place.

unpotted Christmas trees are sawn down. You put them on a Christmas tree stand. Then you just tighten the screws to hold it in place.

The place I buy Christmas trees from ( forestry commission) has three different kinds with a couple Of each on display. You tell them which kind and how many feet in height you want. They will slide a tree out it’s plastic sleeve for you to check out. Back in the sleeve and on the roof of the car.

You need something like this.... You can support the tree and make sure it has water. It's a bit pricey but worth it, we've had ours 10years

Krinner Xmas tree stand

The stands usually have a reservoir so you can water the tree while it's up, so the needles don't drop too badly.

That's the one I have and it really is the best. Had it for ten years or so and never failed me.

So I'll probably get one delivered and could get one potted easily. Is there a benefit to unpotted?

Any/all of the above then you hide in the kitchen whilst your partner effs and blinds and makes a great big deal of getting the tree to stand to attention .

One year he resorted to tying the tree to the wall like it was being held hostage.

Happy memories of Christmas past.

Normally unpotted are bigger trees. The taller the tree the bigger the root ball/ pot. I have a couple of pine trees in pots which are 7/8 foot but the pots are massive. There’s no way to safely move it inside. I couldn’t do it even if I had 3 or 4 strong helpers.

The ones we get come attached to a wooden base. We just keep it on that. Lasts around a month. I cover the base with fake gifts.

Christmas tree stand. Definitely recommend the metal ones over the plastic ones. You can also get tree skirts (usually wicker or fabric) to cover the stands if you don't like them.

Another vote for an unpotted in a Christmas tree stand 👌

Sorry but this made me giggle😆😆😆

Potted are likely to be smaller/more expensive, but if you’ve got some outside space you can put it out after Xmas & reuse it again for a few years.

I always used to use a proper stand, but for the last couple of years I’ve just put a cut tree in a bucket of water and stood it inside a bigger basket, propped up and braced with bricks - the foliage covers everything and it’s much easier and sturdier than trying to balance a tree in a stand.

One year we left it a bit late and had to make do with one bought from a grass verge. DH knew it was pathetic, so next day he went and bought another- equally pathetic, but to use as a donor tree. He drilled holes in the stem of the original stem and inserted branches from donor tree. Not pretty but it lasted!

Any/all of the above then you hide in the kitchen whilst your partner effs and blinds and makes a great big deal of getting the tree to stand to attention

IME it’s almost impossible to get it straight without two people

I'm pretty hopeless with this kinda thing so I'm thinking potted at this rate!

As @anoldcharter and @GunpowderGuido say the Krinner stand is amazing.

You can put your tree up, straight, single-handed and it has a water reservoir. My best Christmas purchase ever.

Oh god ,that’s exactly what happened here many years ago ! He used his climbing ropes 🤦‍♀️

Unpotted (just chopped down!) are normally way cheaper and available everywhere.

The krinner stand linked up thread really is a game changer. Tree stands upright, doesn’t lean, doesn’t fall. No tying it to door handles!

Unpotted/cut are bigger but you’ll need a stand and will need to water often, maybe everyday.

There’s not much point getting potted unless you plan to keep it for several years and then you’ll need to keep it alive, put it in a bigger pot and bring it in again (works out cheaper but I think you said you might not want to do that).

To get rid of them you’ll need to take it to a recycling point, burn it or get it collected. I would say they’re both as much faff so if you just want to give it a go I’d get the biggest unpotted one you can afford/fit in the house and find a cheap stand on Gumtree or fb marketplace etc. The potted ones I’ve seen are a big pathetic in size and not very impressive

You put them in a stand and fill the bowl part with water, topping up frequently.

I would also agree a must is the Krinner stand! It hold the tree well and has the ability to add water to help the tree from shredding needles!

Another suggestion would be don’t buy a tree already netted as you can’t see what shape or what the tree is really like! Go to a place where you can select a tree, then getting it netted to take it home.

I would never get anything else but a real tree, they smell amazing and look so much better than artificial ones!

Potted ones have been dug up instead of being killed by being sawn off at the base. So they do have some roots, but the success rate is very variable. Some people manage to keep them alive in the pot outdoors all year and bring them inside for a couple of weeks, but they don't like it much.

Potted are tiny, ones more like a pot plant than a Christmas tree size. Nearly everyone who has a “real” Xmas tree has an unpotted one in a stand, you can get the stands everywhere.

You buy a special stand and it’s sits in water. But the most important thing is to saw the bottom off and get it in the water without 30mins so it doesn’t start to seal and can drink. Good garden centres will offer to cut the tree but only if it’s going immediately home and up, or suggest you do it yourself.