Where to buy the cheapest Christmas tree - Which? News (2024)

Discover how much to pay whether you want a cut tree or potted one. Which? hasdone the research so you don't have to

It wouldn't be Christmas without a tree as the centrepiece of your celebrations.

Discover what sort of Christmas trees your favourite supermarket or diy store has on offer and how they compare on price.

Breathe new life into your outside spaces.Sign up for our Gardening newsletter, it's free monthly

Where to buy the cheapest cut Christmas tree

• Aldi and Lidl are home to the cheapest cut trees. A medium Nordman cut tree (160-180cm) is £16.99 and a large tree (190-210cm) is £24.99.
• Both their trees are grown in the UK.
• The only difference between the two is that Lidl will have both sizes of tree available on Thursday 23 November, while Aldi is offering their medium trees then but you'll have until Sunday 26 November for their large ones.

How do high-street retailers compare?

Give an annual subscription

Help a loved one make smarter decisions all year round

Sign up now

How to get the best from a cut Christmas tree

• For the tree to look as good as it can on Christmas Day, buy it as near to Christmas as you can - although this year a lot of people seem to be putting them up much earlier than before.
• Look for freshly delivered stock.
• Choose a tree with a good shape.
• Try to pick one that has at least 30cm of clear trunk at the base as this will make it easier to put in a Christmas-tree stand.
• When you get it home, saw the bottom 3cm off the trunk of a cut tree in the same way you'd freshen the ends of cut flowers before putting in a vase, and stand it in a bucket of water, somewhere cool.
• Clamp your tree securely into a Christmas-tree stand to prevent it toppling over and taking the decorations with it.
• Make sure your stand has a water reservoir and top this up regularly - never buy a tree that's hammered into a wooden circle. If the water disappears quickly, this is a good sign as it means the tree is absorbing it.
• Stand your tree in a cool part of the room, well away from radiators.
• Nordman trees drop less leaves than traditional Norway spruce.

How to dispose of a cut Christmas tree

• Christmas trees are traditionally taken down on Twelfth Night ie 5 January.
• Check with your local authority as to whether they often a collection service.
• Facebook and Nextdoor may have information from local groups, such as The Scouts, which offer a paid service to collect and dispose of your tree.
• If you have a garden shredder, you can cut up your tree and shred it into chippings which are great for mulching paths - not borders as wood robs nitrogen if dug into the soil.

Find out how tobuy the best garden shredder

Should I buy a Christmas tree in a pot?

Many people like to have a tree in a pot with hopes to keep it from year to year. Bear in mind that Christmas trees make enormous specimens when planted in the ground and are only suitable for large gardens. If you'd like a tree to keep for several years, it's best kept on the patio outside of the festive season. It'll need watering whenever the compost feels dry when you push your fingers in and feeding with a Best Buy liquid plant food during spring and summer. Watch out for aphids which sometimes will infest the tree.

When buying a tree in a pot, always buy one that is labelled 'pot grown' as this has spent its whole life in a pot; 'potted' trees tend to be cheaper but they often die as they've been dug up from the field they were grown in and put in a pot, which results in root damage.

In some areas, you can hire a Christmas tree in a pot which will be delivered and then collected. Although you'll pay a premium for this service, it may be useful, especially if you don't have a car to transport your tree or find lifting and carrying difficult.

In terms of the environment, you may wish to consider where the tree has been raised as many are transported from overseas.

Looking for an artificial alternative? Read our guide on how to buy the best fake Christmas tree.

Where to buy a Christmas tree in a pot