Caring for your tree

Indoors Display the tree indoors for no longer than 10 days. Set the pot on a plastic saucer fitted with wheels (available at nurseries). Keep it away from heat and decorate it sparingly using light strings with small, cool bubs. Water regularly. One easy way to do that: dump two trays of ice cubes onto the soil’s surface. As the ice melts, the water trickles slowly through the root zone.

After Christmas Move the tree outdoors to a cool bright porch for a few days to ease the transition, then move it to a protected spot outdoors where the rootball won't freeze. Water when the top two inches of soil feels dry to touch. When new growth starts in spring, feed it with controlled release fertilizer. Then plant it in the garden, or transplant into a larger, light-colored terra cotta or wood container (black plastic pots can overheat, injuring or killing roots).