Unpacking and Setting Up Your Tree: Stand the box upright, grab the pot by the rim, and pull the tree, along with the cardboard packaging, out of the box. Remove and discard the cardboard packaging. Choose a location for your tree that is away from heat sources such as wood stoves and radiators. Insert three AA batteries (enclosed with your order) into the case at the end of the string of lights on your tree, turn on the switch, and enjoy!

Caring during the Holidays: Your Christmas tree is a young Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica') that is alive and healthy. It is shipped in a dormant state and therefore requires little attention during the holidays, apart from occasional watering. We recommend placing it in a cool room (where the temperature does not rise much above 65 degrees F) and checking the soil mix frequently with your finger. If the mix feels dry 1/2in below the surface, water thoroughly. Do not allow the pot to sit in water inside the plastic-lined basket. The best way to water is to lift the pot from the basket, water the tree at the sink, then return it to the basket after the excess water has drained away. Avoid watering the battery pack. Because it is dormant, your tree should not be fertilized.

Please note: This slow-growing tree is best treated as a seasonal plant and discarded after the holidays. However, if you live in Zones 3-7, you can remove the decorations, move the tree to a place where it will receive bright light but no direct sun and the temperatures are between 35-50 degrees F, continue watering as above, and plant it outside in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Choose a site in full sun with average, well-drained soil. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the roots, then turn the pot upside down and tap the bottom to remove the tree. Place your tree in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil line and fill in around the roots with soil. Press the soil to firm and water thoroughly. Your tree can grow several inches a year, eventually reaching 6-12 feet tall and 3-8 feet wide.