Christmas tree in a pot: choose the pot and keep it fresh

A pot-grown Christmas tree looks best in a sturdy pot that fits the root ball with room to spare, has a drainage hole, and sits somewhere cool indoors. Keep the tree inside for about two weeks, keep the root ball lightly moist, and then move it back outside.

Which pot should you choose for a Christmas tree in a pot?

A tree with a root ball needs more room than you might expect. The pot should enclose the root ball with space around it, be heavy enough to keep the tree upright, and let water drain away. For a tree of 100 to 150 cm, a pot of about 40 to 50 cm in diameter and 35 to 40 cm high works well. You can read more about choosing the right dimensions in our article on a large outdoor planter.

Look at these points when you choose:

• Weight: a tree with its root ball and wet soil is heavy and catches the wind like a sail. A heavy clay or pottery pot stands more steadily than light plastic.
• Drainage hole: water has to be able to leave. A tree sitting in a puddle soon gets wet feet and declines.
• Frost resistance: not all terracotta is frost resistant. If the tree goes back outside after the holidays, choose a frost resistant pot with a drainage hole.
• Where it stands: on a tiled or wooden floor indoors, a saucer or coaster is wise. Outside, small pot feet help.

Every pot from Masr Potten & Vazen is handmade: the tesserae, hand cut pieces of glass, are laid and grouted one by one. No two pieces are identical, which gives a tree by the front door more character than a bare plastic grower's pot. A look at the collection of handmade pots shows which colours and sizes are available.

How long can a potted Christmas tree stay indoors?

A living Christmas tree is not a houseplant. It rests in winter and likes the cold. If it stays too long in a warm room it starts to sprout and drops its needles sooner. Plan on about two weeks indoors, ideally in the coolest spot in the room and not next to a radiator or open fire.

A few rules of thumb that help in practice:

• Let the tree adjust for a few days in an unheated shed, garage or porch before it goes into the warm living room.
• After the holidays, put it somewhere sheltered outside for a few days first, so the change is not too abrupt.
• Use LED lights: they give off far less heat than ordinary bulbs.

If you do not want to show the plastic grower's pot, place it inside a nice decorative pot as an inner pot. How that works is explained in our guide to a plant pot with or without a drainage hole.

How much water does a potted Christmas tree need?

The root ball should stay lightly moist, never bone dry and never soaking. Feel a few centimetres into the soil: if it is dry, give a modest amount of water. Pour slowly and spread it over the root ball, and always let excess water drain away.

The material of the pot plays a part. Terracotta and pottery are porous: they breathe, and moisture evaporates faster through the wall. Plastic holds moisture longer. In a clay pot the root ball dries out sooner, while in a plastic pot you are more likely to overwater. So check the soil with your finger rather than watering on fixed days.

Can a Christmas tree in a pot stay outside after Christmas?

Yes, as long as it is a pot-grown tree with a root ball and not a cut tree. Do not plant it straight into the ground in hard frost. Leave it in the pot in a sheltered spot, for example against a wall that keeps off wind and cold. The roots in a pot sit closer to the outside air than in a border, so the pot itself has to cope with winter.

Dutch winters are usually mild, but frost periods come every year. For frost days and weather data, see the KNMI. In hard frost it helps to wrap the pot in hessian or bubble wrap and stand it on pot feet. You can read more about plants that stay outside in a pot in our article on hardy plants in a pot and about frost resistant pots.

Which tree works best in a pot?

Most people choose a Nordmann fir or a blue spruce. The Nordmann holds its needles well, which makes it a popular choice. The blue spruce is pricklier but also tough, with a blue grey colour. The Norway spruce, the classic Christmas tree of the past, drops its needles faster indoors. Always choose a tree that was grown in a pot, and ask the grower whether it comes with a root ball.

Can a Christmas tree in a pot have a permanent place at your business?

For the entrance of an office, restaurant or shop, a beautiful pot with a tree is a winter classic. Custom work is possible in colour, model and size, including a company logo in the mosaic. A custom piece takes six to ten weeks on average from approval to delivery, with progress photos along the way, so start early if it has to be ready for the holidays. You can request a no obligation quote and receive a proposal within two working days. Delivery is available in the Netherlands and Belgium, right to the spot where the piece will stand.