We stumbled across a fantastic idea last Christmas and were happy to take part. For some reason, it is common here in the Netherlands to sell Christmas trees with their root balls intact. So, essentially, you take a plant home in a pot and hope for the best. I have had friends tell me they can sometimes get the tree to make it through the year in a pot and be used again the next Christmas, and I think that's a great idea.
We happened to find an even better solution. A farm close to our house offers Christmas trees for adoption. A more accurate term would be for rent, but I would agree with the owners that adoption sounds nicer.
Brilliant, isn't it?
The farm claims they have a 75% survival rate, which is a whole lot more than the 0% survival of trees that were cut. I would bet the rate is also higher than people who try to keep their trees alive in a pot all year, because the roots must get tired of being scrunched up all the time.
So, back to our story. Last year we picked out a tree. The Bigs named him Harry. We brought him home and returned him just like we were instructed. This year, we returned to find Harry had thrived. He had tiny new buds all over him. We were all very happy to see him, and he's now hanging out in our living room, overwhelmed with beads and ornaments.
This is the most sustainable solution I've found for the dilemma of Christmas trees as a disposable item. I'm wondering if anywhere in the states does this? If not, I know exactly what kind of business I am going to open when we move back home.
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