Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

  • Home
  • Recommended Tools
  • Products
  • Categories
    • Business
      • Backyard Nursery
      • Bestselling Plants
      • Marketing
    • Gardening Tips
      • Compost
      • Containers
      • Diseases
      • Fertilize
      • General
      • Landscaping
      • Lawn
      • Pests
      • Protect
      • Pruning
      • Weeds
    • Nurseries
    • Plant Propagation
      • Cuttings
      • Division
      • Grafting
      • Seed
    • Rural Living
    • Tools
  • Contact
  • About Mike
You are here: Home / Gardening Tips / Landscaping / How To Dig and Plant a Live Christmas Tree

How To Dig and Plant a Live Christmas Tree

Updated : May 20, 2015

49 Comments

 Digging and Planting a Live Christmas Tree.

There’s nothing quite like a live Christmas tree, but do you really want to sacrifice a beautiful tree that has been growing for years just so you can have a live Christmas tree?  Or would you be interested in a live Christmas tree that has been dug and balled and burlaped so you can plant it in your yard after Christmas?

Or better yet, would you like to dig one yourself?    In this video you will discover all kinds of little tricks we use in the nursery business.  Enjoy!

I know!  I know!  I know!  We messed up the video.  These new fangled video cameras treat each segment as a separate video.  That means that all the segments have to be stitched together in video editing software.  And . . . we goofed up!  I burlaped the ball then went back and finished digging it!  Huh?  Yeah.  We got two segments out of order.  Then I think we lost the last segment where we planted the tree.  I’ll see if we can recover that piece and add it to this page.
Hey, I’m a “Dumb Ole Dirt Farmer” stumbling along in cyberspace!  I do the best I can.  See how all of this text is centered on the page?  Know why?  Because I can’t get it to left align!    So . . . I’m going to leave it like that.  Because it just doesn’t matter.  -Mike McGroarty
Questions or comments?  Post them below.
 

Take a gander at these posts...

  • Landscape Design Tips
  • Do You Have Shotgun Fungus?
  • Tree Stump Removal Instructions
  • Enhance Your Landscape With Roses
  • Tips On Planting Bulbs

Comments

  1. Amber V says

    December 22, 2022 at 3:06 pm

    Thank you for that video I’m a first time gardener and I want to do Christmas trees because where I live there’s not any place around that has REAL Christmas trees. Question if possible how do you do it if it’s a very small tree that’s not big enough to tie a string around?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 23, 2022 at 9:16 am

      Amber, see this. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2021/04/how-to-put-a-ball-and-burlap-on-a-bare-root-tree-that-has-been-previously-dug/

      Reply
  2. nancy Later Lavoie says

    June 30, 2020 at 9:27 pm

    Thank you so much for all of your work!
    What time of year is best to do this? Should you cut the roots and leave it and then go back a couple of weeks later? Or does that not matter?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      July 1, 2020 at 7:24 am

      Nancy,

      You can dig it in less than hour but only when dormant, after Thanksgiving.

      Reply
  3. Angel says

    June 13, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    of course, forgot to mentyion,,, the soil is what is important, as Mike said
    if your soil has a lot of clay try adding to the soil , some sand and earth, any color as well as leaves from previous fall, and small twigs,, veggie scraps as mentioned before, and coffe grinds, loose tea from tea bags,,,,, nothing w oil or animal scraps,,, never, you will artect, varmine, ugh,,,,, lol enjoy !

    Reply
  4. Angel says

    June 13, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    HI there Tom, in reply to your question,, What I used to do in montreal and area, is I used to dig early spring when the soil was wet, id loosen it,,,, then when the weather was dry for about 5r days i dig again, and loosen it some more, the snow melting helps,,
    in the tropics,, different story,,,,, what I do is I turn all dirt over once, or twice,, twice makes it looser. good exercise if youre careful,,,, lol
    Now after I put a plant in any food scraps of vegetables ortheir skins go into that dirt,,,, I just make a suitable hole, area and dig that out to suit the peels or scarps of vegies, and then recover,, voila, next I stpep on the dirt to firm it, and next day I just water lightly in that area, you can tell cos its not like the rest of the area’s dirt,,,, smiles,, magic,,,,, hehe simple, easy,,,,, I also am very bad with internet,,,, I guess, those that have green thumbs, are tech challenged,,, hehehe have a good season, happy gardening !

    Reply
  5. Tom says

    April 7, 2013 at 10:20 pm

    Hi Mike,

    I noticed while you were digging the tree that your soil looked nice and easy to dig. Did you do anything to prepare your nursery soil when you originally planted the trees? If I plant a tree in my ground, wait a few years and dig it up, the soil is VERY hard to dig.

    Reply
  6. Tom says

    April 7, 2013 at 10:17 pm

    Hi Mike,

    Reply
  7. Tom Even says

    April 7, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    Mike: I live in Eustis, Florida. My yard, front and back, is nothing but SAND. I would love to grow some plants, but what can I do with all SAND? I sure would appreciate some advice. Yeah…my son just said “move to Ohio”.
    Tom

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 7, 2013 at 7:26 pm

      Tom,

      Some areas of Ohio are sandy and some are pure mud. Trust me, the plants like the sand a lot better. You can grow in containers which is what most nurseryman do these days. That way you control the growing medium.

      Reply
  8. Doug says

    April 7, 2013 at 1:07 pm

    Hey Mike,

    You don’t have to apologize for your lack of perfection! It’s what makes your videos so good. You are just like the rest of us and that;s why we are here. I just got your course on back yard plant propagation and I’m getting ready to do mu first experiments with some plants I have had waiting. I’ll be starting slow due to low finances, but I hope to get it going and eventually need to move to a bigger place. Thanks for your example and hard work for us.

    Reply
  9. Gail says

    December 20, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    Hey Mike
    Great video. Very informative. I would like to have a live tree for Christmas. I am concerned about the weight. I like an 8ft tree. How much would that weigh? Merry Christmas.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 22, 2012 at 8:51 am

      Gail, an 8′ tree would be quite heavy, I’m guessing 150lbs. But that is a guess.

      Reply
  10. Bob Fortner says

    December 20, 2012 at 5:18 pm

    Yup same here,Mike,I would like to hear a little more from Duston. He is the future you know.And I like him .thanks

    Reply
  11. Amado S. del Rosario says

    December 15, 2012 at 10:15 pm

    Thanks Mike, The use of burlap for transplanting a Christmas tree is great. Maybe I can use the same method for transplanting manageable fruit trees?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 16, 2012 at 9:11 am

      Absolutely you can, just move them while they are dormant.

      Reply
  12. Kaite says

    December 15, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    Great information, thanks! I have a question. Five years ago there was a Bosnian Pine planted next to the front of my house, which is still small but will grow to be way too large for the location. I wanted to move it, but read that pines have taproots that you cannot dig up and move, so I didn’t dare. I figured I’d leave it until it got too big and then cut it down. I’d still rather move it if it could survive. What are your thoughts?

    Reply
  13. steve says

    December 14, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    Your a work animal Mike!!

    Reply
  14. RJ says

    December 14, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    Thanks for the Great video(s)!!!
    So, the roots will push through the burlap?
    Thank You in advance!
    RJ

    Reply
  15. Debbie T. says

    December 14, 2012 at 7:35 am

    Mike,
    Thank you for all the tips and tricks! They sure come in handy!
    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    Reply
  16. Don Gitchell says

    December 13, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    Merry Christmas i Have enjoyed your gardening tips this year Thank Yoou

    Reply
  17. frank battista says

    December 13, 2012 at 2:39 am

    great job as usual mike,since its slow during winter moths i would like to see a video on making mist sprayers for spring cuttings. thanks again frank upstate n.y.

    Reply
  18. Jim says

    December 12, 2012 at 11:34 pm

    Thanks Mike, You may have mentioned it and I couldn’t hear it on the video, but do you recommend mulching a newly planted tree in the winter to help protect the roots from frost?

    Reply
  19. jasminka says

    December 12, 2012 at 6:42 pm

    Hi Mike
    Thank you for all your videos. I have tried to start new plants from roses cuttings using a honey insted root boost.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    Reply
  20. Danny Tobin says

    December 12, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    There was’nt one present to dig up. Oh well maybe next year. Have a wonderful Christmas and a joyous year.

    Reply
  21. Esther says

    December 12, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    Thanks so much for all your videos. So much good information!!
    I have tried to start new plants from tree cuttings using a powdered root boost. I have never had any luck. I am trying again this year and will not water them. Do you plant them in sand rather than good dirt???

    Reply
  22. Donna Mitchell says

    December 12, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    Thank you for all you teach me about gardening, you are my go to guy. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    Reply
  23. Robert says

    December 12, 2012 at 10:13 am

    thanks for showing how to dig & wrap…..did not know that you could leave the burlap on thanks…..

    Reply
  24. Ralph says

    December 11, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    Is it beneficial to water a newly planted tree through the winter. Ex. 5 gals/week for a 5 foot tree.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:26 am

      Ralph, that really depends on the soil you have. With that said, the soil here at the nursery, where I planted this tree, is as sandy as you can get and I did not water it or the other plants that I put in this week. And I won’t water them over the winter.

      They don’t need to be wet, shouldn’t be wet, just moist. Winter weather usually provides enough moisture without any help. And the evaporation factor is very low. Would it harm them to water them? No. Not as long as the soil drains well. But plants in the ground need so much less water than a plant sitting on top of the ground.

      Reply
  25. laura says

    December 11, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    next time can you give Dustin a few more lines or at least one? He doesn’t get to say a peep! Just kidding. Happy new year.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:28 am

      Laura, Duston is like his mama. Neither one of them say much!

      Reply
  26. laura says

    December 11, 2012 at 8:18 pm

    the video was helpful but could have done with a little less noise in the background . it was hard to hear the instructions at the end which is what i really needed to know about planting the tree. Merry Christmas.
    thanks for all your info.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:30 am

      Laura, you’re right about the noise but we didn’t have a wireless mic with us and we were only about 50′ from a highway. Didn’t really expect that much traffic at that hour, nor did I even think about it being noisy until we were already taping. Here’s the thing about our videos. We just shoot them and do the best we know. If we tried to make them perfect there would be far fewer of them.

      Reply
  27. Danelle says

    December 11, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    Merry Christmas, Mike and the whole crew!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:23 am

      Danelle, thank you so much. We appreciate that. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

      Reply
  28. sandra says

    December 11, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Merry Christmas Mike! I enjoyed your tree planting video. Didn’t matter that you messed up a wee bit. You are so thorough in explaining that even I can now do it. Always wondered about how to do a root ball and now I know. Thanks for showing how to tie up the tree branches and wrap the ball. I’m still in the building courage stage and this video is inspiring.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:34 am

      Sandra, You’re welcome. The building courage stage is a dangerous place to be. You can’t over think this. Start now, start small, grow a few plants, sell them and you will be on your way. If there’s one thing I hear over and over from my customers it’s: “I really wish I hadn’t waited so long to buy your system. I would have been so much further if I’d made the decision sooner.” http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm

      Reply
  29. Mary says

    December 11, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    Hi Mike, thanks for the video! It was very informative. I do have a question though. Do you water the tree when it’s in the house or after it’s replanted?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:35 am

      Mary, while the tree is in house, yes you water it. Put the tree in tub, keep at least 3″ of water in the bottom of the tub and when you water it slowly pour water over the ball of the tree allowing some to soak into the ball.

      Reply
  30. Kathy says

    December 11, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    Hi Mike! Thanks for all of your great videos. You mentioned about possibly not being able to backfill the tree due to frozen ground. I have been known to keep some soil in buckets in my garage to use in these cases so it won’t be frozen when I go to use it (also for indoor repotting during winter). Keep up the great work. I love seeing you working with the plants even in the winter. I try to “extend” the season as much as I can! Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • laura says

      December 11, 2012 at 8:23 pm

      that is a great idea about the soil in buckets….thanks

      Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:22 am

      Kathy, you are right about keeping some soil in the garage so you have soil to back fill with. I usually recommend that but I was trying to keep the video as short as possible, and we had a lot of noise from the highway when I was planting that tree.

      Reply
  31. Jim Taylor says

    December 11, 2012 at 1:40 pm

    Don’t ever apologize for making somebody think! They might learn something.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:36 am

      Jim, you’re right. When we have to think we are more engaged!

      Reply
  32. Phoebe says

    December 11, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    Couldn’t help but chuckle cause it seems you have absolutley NO ROCKS. I would never be able to dig out a tree like that.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:37 am

      Phoebe, you’re right. On this property we don’t have many rocks in the soil, but just a few hundred feet to the south of where I dug this tree we used to have trees in a field that was all rocks! It made it more difficult to make a root ball, but we still did it.

      Reply
  33. Helen says

    December 11, 2012 at 12:40 pm

    I enjoyed your video on live Christmas tree planting and the correct way of doing it. I have learned so many useful tips from your site to make my work easier. My backyard gardens are small, but expanding each year. I’m grateful for all of the useful information that you provide. I’m another who stumbles through cyberspace.

    Reply
  34. huchlee says

    December 11, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Thank you for showing us how to dig and burlap a tree!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Young trees planted in organized rows, sunny landscape.

15 Fast-Growing Trees to Transform Your Yard Quickly

Posted On March 23, 2025 By Duston

The Donkey Bucket Challenge (Watch Video)

Posted On December 6, 2024 By Duston

How to Make Money Growing and Selling Mums (Chrysanthemums)

Posted On September 28, 2024 By Duston

Hydrangea cuttings stuck close together.

My Month-By-Month Plant Propagation Guide

Posted On August 24, 2024 By Duston

Mike’s Plant Farm Spring Ad

Posted On May 15, 2024 By Mike

Mike’s Big Perennial Bed by the Month.

Posted On April 27, 2023 By Mike

$180.00 per Square Foot? Is it really possible?

Posted On March 28, 2023 By Mike

Rooted cuttings of variegated weigela in bunches to harden off.

Over Wintering Rooted Cuttings.

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

Mike's Big Perennial Bed.

Mike’s Big Perennial Garden

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

A Profound Thank You from Mike.

Posted On September 1, 2022 By Mike

Recent Posts

Finnegan keeping the sun off his head.

An Old Guy, Two Donkeys, a Puppy and a Hammock. What could possibly go wrong?

… Read Full Article

This upside down donkey is a hoot!

An Upside Down Donkey and Cute Puppy.

You can see more of the donkeys here. And more silly donkey stuff here. Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired! … Read Full Article

'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm.

‘Rockin Raspberry’ Bee Balm.

Wow! I planted four of these 'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm in the perennial garden at the nursery last summer and look at them now. They are in bloom right now, end of June here in northern, Ohio and every person that sees them asks about them. This beauty … Read Full Article

'Bubblegum Blast' Bee Balm.

‘Bubblegum Blast’ Bee Balm

This beautiful Bee Balm is part of the 'Sugar Buzz' series. I planted these in my perennial bed last summer and this year they are beautiful and blooming like crazy! They grow from 16" to 24" tall, are hardy from zone 4 through zone 8. They love full sun … Read Full Article

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

'Blue Angel'hosta is by far one of my favorite blue hostas. A big hosta like this in a perennial bed covers a lot of area and that keeps a ton of weeds at bay! These giant heart shaped leaves are very slug resistant. We have this plant in full sun. With … Read Full Article

Copyright © 2025 · Hill Country Digital Media, LLC · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · Terms of Service