Living Yule tree

[Toodlepips]

I've seen some nice trees in Gamm Vert and the like .... some chopped off at the bottom and others still rooted in pots.

What I want is a tree which can be kept in a pot and then brought indoors each year.  If I buy one of these trees is it likely to last long if kept in a pot? 

I don't want it to get too big, so I'm guessing that if I keep it to a small(ish)  pot and perhaps trim it's roots every few years that will do the trick.  Am I right?!

Thanks.

[Nicos]

I think part of the secret of keeping it alive is to buy one grown in the pot. We have bought ones which have been dug up (from a local supplier ) and they can't lift them without chopping off a lot of the roots.

Keeping them in a cool place indoors as well would help reduce their shock. Maybe now is the time to buy one and slowly get it used to being indoors as you would in reverse with seedlings ( softening up as opposed to hardening off I suppose) and then reverse the process slowly after New Year.

Some varieties certainly grow more slowly than others, but I can't advise on that![:)]

[cooperlola]

I had a blue spruce in the UK which lasted 5 years in its pot - being brought in each Christmas for 12 days (I'm a traditional Christmas Eve to Epiphany person!) It survived very well.  The only thing I know about it, apart from its variety, is that it was taken down the day I bought it so didn't spend any time in the shop before it came home to me.  I did nothing to it but water it.

[Russethouse]

There is a big difference between buying a  pot grown tree and buying a tree in a pot - be very careful when you make your purchase.