Our Business Office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8am to 4pm. Please stop in or call (607) 257-3000 with any questions.
The Garden Center is open:
• Monday to Friday: 8:30am – 6pm
• Saturday: 9am – 5pm
• Sunday: 10am – 4pm
Thinking of a Live Christmas Tree this Holiday Season?
Follow these basic rules for caring for a happy, healthy and beautiful Christmas tree to last for years to come!
The main obstacle to the survival of a live Christmas tree is the risk of the tree being fooled into coming out of dormancy. Plants go into dormancy slowly over the course of the fall as temperatures and light levels drop. Dormancy is the plant has reached that allows it to hibernate, in effect, and thereby withstand the harsh conditions of the winter. When we bring a plant that is in dormancy into the warmth of our home, we trick the plant out of dormancy as if it were spring. When we move the plant back outside it is no longer ready for the sub freezing temperatures and cells are killed.
- Plan to use a live tree inside for 10-14 days or less. Less than 10 days if you must keep the house unusually warm
- It is very important not to keep your tree in a heated indoor space for longer than two weeks.
- Keeping the tree away from heat sources and when possible, keeping the room a little cooler will go a long way to keeping the tree dormant.
- Remember to water your tree! Keep the container or root ball moist, as if you were watering a houseplant.
- After Christmas, move the tree to a partly protected location for a week or so. This could be a garage, unheated porch, or even a very protected spot outside. The tree can stay here until spring or can be planted after the duration. If in a garage, keep in mind that you will still need to water the tree. If outside, mulch heavily around the container or root ball to protect the roots.
- If possible, dig the hole outside ahead of time and save the soil in a non-freezing location so planting it after Christmas will be easier. Mulching the planting location ahead of time can also help to keep the ground from freezing and will make planting easier and the mulch can then be used around the tree after planting.
- Wiltpruf is an antidesiccant that can reduce the stress on evergreens significantly and could be used before the tree is brought in the house or applied after the tree is moved out.
Following these suggestions will nearly eliminate additional stress on the tree and make for a successful establishment!
Since 1978, Cayuga Landscape Company has been a leader in creating stellar and sustainable landscapes in Tompkins County. For a sense of what CLC can do for you and your home, take some time to navigate our website. We have one of the most complete garden centers in the Finger Lakes area. We also have a full staff of landscapers eager to design your outdoor space, and qualified horticulturists ready to answer your questions about plants.
Newly planted bed overlooking Cayuga Lake 
Seneca Stone Curb and Cobble Swale 
Perennials with Lake view 
Redbuds, Daffodils, and Spirea at CU Pew Engineering Quad
