• Sunlight –  It’s recommended that you keep your potted Christmas tree near a window that receives sunlight but has protection from the hot afternoon heat.

• Lack of sunlight – If the spot for your Christmas tree does not receive any natural sunlight or reflected light, you should bring it indoors for Christmas as late as possible. The weekend before Christmas is ideal. They can survive indoors without direct sunlight for a little while, but we would advise not to keep them indoors any longer than 20 days. But if the spot receives some sunlight indoors, it can stay a bit longer.

• Watering – As with most houseplants, watering is the most important aspect of caring for them. Too much and your potted Christmas tree will die of ‘wet feet’, too little and the leaves will turn brown and fall. So water sparingly and do a simple moisture check by sticking your finger into the dirt up to your second knuckle and checking if the soil is dry. When you remove your finger, any soil sticking to it indicates moisture. When your finger comes out relatively clean, it’s time to water. Always check that the container has good drainage and some sort of saucer underneath to catch any excess water.

• Sunburn  (VERY IMPORTANT)– After Christmas, you should put your tree out in the shade for a couple of months, protected from the harsh summer sun, then slowly move it back into the sun in early Autumn. If you just put it back in the full summer sun directly after being indoors for a long time, the leaves will get sunburnt and turn brown.

• Root-Bound – After the Christmas period, check the roots of your tree. If the root-ball is getting too thick, loosen them up and plant your tree in a slightly bigger pot. If it is not a dense root-ball, they can be left in the same pot.

• Prune and shape your tree in winter to keep it neat and tidy. Be gentle with the pruning as they grow very slowly and bad pruning can take years to fix.

• Fertilise your tree at the start of spring with a balanced fertilizer to give it a good boost during its growing season and make it look lush for Christmas.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas (or Christmas in July) and a Happy New Year!