A local landscaping business is in its fourth year of selling living, potted Christmas trees to keep the holiday spirit alive past Christmas.
Deeply Rooted Landscapes is a native plant landscaping service, operating out of Tipp City since 2019.
Throughout the year, founder Kara Maynard said they serve around 650 customers. But those numbers tend to slow in the winter season as less clients are looking to update their landscapes.
To boost business during this time, Maynard started selling living Christmas trees for $50 to $90 each.
"I thought what if we offered living trees that people could then plant, they could use it again for next year's Christmas tree, making it even more sustainable, even more affordable, or it becomes habitat in their yard," she said.
This year, the company offered 30 different living trees with two native evergreen species options for rent or purchase, ranging from 4 to 5 feet in height.
Customers can choose between a Jack pine or an eastern white pine. The white pine offers a taller, polished look while Jack pines are known for their “wacky” and unique growing patterns.
“We kind of market those as our Charlie Brown Christmas tree, because they kind of grow crazy," she said. "It's charming though, and it's really cute. But they're not stately like a white pine.”
Customers who are only looking to hold onto their tree through Dec. 31 can rent one for half the price, as long as they return it before the end of the year in good condition.
“Once you return it, and I take a look at it and we say, ‘OK, you know, this is a healthy tree — it was watered, taken care of,’ then we refund you 50% of the cost of the tree," Maynard said.
Once the holidays are complete, customers can transition their living trees to the outdoors, creating a lasting decoration and habitat for Ohio's various native species.
Maynard said once December rolls around the following year, they suggest taking the tree back indoors no earlier than two weeks before holiday celebrations for best results.
"Then if you want to bring it back outside, you want to give it a little period of acclimation," she said. "If you have a garage or somewhere just near the home where it's a bit warmer, two to three days of acclimation before you bring it in, two to three day of acclimation when you bring it out, and then it can just live outside for the rest of the winter."
If tending to the tree branches are too far out of a consumer's comfort zone after the holiday, they can also donate live trees to a city park in Beavercreek.
As long as the trees are in good condition with an attached root ball, the city will take them and plant them to enhance local parks.
"You had this tree living in your home for a certain amount of time, it's special to you, it was your Christmas tree you celebrated with your family and then you know it goes to live on in your park and you can visit it," Maynard said. "I think, that's a wonderful thing. And it's creating habitat, which is our mission. So I think that's even better."
Interested donors can call Beavercreek parks staff at (937) 427-5514 for more information.
