Mini Christmas Tree

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Have some fun this festive season by growing your own mini Christmas tree.  Perfect if you haven’t got room for a full sized tree or as a way to get kids interested in gardening.

 

Materials (makes 2 mini Christmas trees)

    • approximately 500g lawn seed (the cheapest variety you can find as it germinates quickly)
    • pair of old stockings
    • spagnum moss
    • two small plastic containers (like a small yoghurt tub)
    • eco-hydrate
    • Christmas paper and decorations

Step 1
Empty spagnum moss into a bucket and pour all the lawn seed on top. Thoroughly mix together so the seed is dispersed throughout the moss.  If the moss is dry add a small amount of water to the mix until it becomes just damp and sticks together.

The key materials: lawn seed, spagnum moss and old stockings

Mixing the seed and spagnum moss together.

Step 2
Cut each stocking leg roughly half way along (at the knee) and fill with the spagnum/seed mixture.  Firmly pack the mixture in but be gentle so you don’t break the stocking. Shape the stocking as you go so that toe end is narrow to make the pointy tree top and gradually widens until you have the fat base.  Tie a knot and cut off any excess stocking.

Filling the stocking with moss and seed mixture.

Knot and then cut off excess stocking

Step 3
Make up a bucket of eco-hydrate and soak the stuffed stocking for 5-10 minutes. This ensures the seed and moss is fully moist and reduces future drying out. Remove from the bucket and allow to drain on their sides.  If necessary squeeze the top of each stocking and squash the base to ensure they have a definite tree shape.

Quick soak in eco-hydrate.

Followed by a quick draining.

Step 4
Gently place each tree on top of the plastic container to form their base and position in a bright location but out of direct sunlight.

Step 5
Using a spray bottle mist water all around the tree every day to ensure the moss and germinating lawn seed stays moist. If the seed dries out it will die.

Step 6
Sprouts will appear in 7-10 days and grow quickly.  Regularly rotate the trees so the grass grows evenly and not in the direction of the brightest light. Keep up the daily spraying.

Step 7
Decoration time!  In about two weeks the grass will have grown thick enough to cover most of the stocking and you can then decorate the tree. Firstly wrap a narrow strip of

Lawn seed just starting to grow the stocking.

Christmas paper around the base container and hold in place with sticky tape.  Then place your tinsel and decorations over the tree.  Smaller decorations look best as they are more in proportion to the overall size of the tree.

Fully grown trees with bases wrapped ready for decorating.

Have fun positioning the mini Christmas decorations.