Hi,

I wonder if anybody knows how to care for a little pine tree I bought
at the supermarket at Christmastime. He's done his duty as a Christmas
Tree and now I want to do right by him. I've put him in a 2' x 2'
redwood barrell. I plan to plant him somewhere in the spring, but
meanwhile, what does he need? The instructions told me to "keep soil
damp, NOT SOAKED;" well, I did that and he got awfully dry. He even
developed a few brown needles close to the trunk. I've been watering
him a lot more since I noticed that, but I'm aware overwatering is
just as perilous as under-watering. Do you know of a happy medium for
pine trees between parched and drowned? A watering schedule, perhaps?

I live in Northern California where pine trees flourish. When springs
comes, is there any reason I shouldn't plant him where other pines are
growing wild -- in a regional park, say?

Thanks,

Harper