Anyone bought a Christmas tree with roots?

[franch]

Do they survive?

Do you have to plant them out in your garden after Christmas, or can you keep them in the pot and bring them back inside the following year?

Yes they can survive, if you give them plant food and keep them well watered. We had one that was partially rooted, and it coped! We didn't plant it out, and it still managed to grow at the ends of its' branches.

We did get a bit of a surprise when we brought it indoors the second year - as dozens of ladybirds had hibernated in amongst the needles, and woke up in the warmth of the house!!!!!

My parents did once. It is now ~50ft high and seems very happy if ludicrously somewhat too big for where it is

We bought a little one in a pot, about 5 years ago for the dcs playroom.

It sits in its pot all year outside (have re-potted it maybe twice) as happy as Larry, then comes inside for a couple of weeks at Christmas. It puts out new growth every spring, bit it's still diddy enough for them to decorate with their crap home-made decorations.

Hmm, I like the idea but couldn't cope with a 50ft one

We have tons of ladybirds hibernating in our garden parasol

It was about 20 years ago that they planted it . The plan was to dig it up each year, but then they went to live abroad for 3 years and when they came back it was too big/well established to dig up. I think if you kept it in a pot it would contain the rate of growth IYSWIM.

Ah, ok