How Does a Bio Urn Work?
A bio urn is a relatively new memorial option that is quickly gaining in popularity in the U.S. and abroad. How it works is actually quite simple. Below we’ve outlined 5 easy steps that explain how a bio urn works.
1) Order Your Bio Urn and Tree of Choice
Visit your local funeral home or preferred website to purchase your bio urn and planting system. If you purchase from a funeral home, they will provide the bio urn to you on-site. If you purchase online from The Living Urn®, the biotree urn will be shipped out on the same day that you order with both ground and express shipping options available.
The Living Urn® System and the tree are shipped separately. This is done so families have the bio urn available to hold the cremated ashes right away and can arrange for the tree to arrive fresh whenever they are ready to plant.
At the time of purchase, you can select your tree and choose when and where you would like it shipped. If you do not yet know when and/or where you will be planting, you also have the option to order the bio urn with a voucher for a tree which can be selected and redeemed at a later date. Also, if you prefer to buy your own tree, you can simply purchase the bio urn by itself and then just go down to your local nursery to pick up a tree to plant in combination with the urn system. The Living Urn® provides clear and easy to follow instructions on how to plant any tree you purchase with the special bio urn.
Trees from The Living Urn® are shipped direct from their award-winning nursery to your doorstep in small pots and are 1.5 to 4 feet high, depending on the type of tree, with a strong, developed root system. The Living Urn® offers a wide range of tree options with a tailored menu of choices for your specific location - just enter your zip code on their website or check the local tree list at your funeral home to browse the various tree options that are best suited for your area.
2) Receiving the Bio Urn
The Living Urn® bio urn and planting system is available for purchase at hundreds of funeral homes all over the U.S. and is also available for purchase online at The Living Urn’s website.
When you receive The Living Urn® bio urn for ashes, you can store it in a dry place indoors until your tree arrives. The bio urn has no expiration and can be safely stored for many years prior to use if desired.
3) Placing Ashes in the Bio Urn
You can transfer the cremated ashes into The Living Urn® bio urn anytime. The bio tree urn system has no expiration and will not biodegrade until it is placed in the ground and is exposed to soil and moisture, so you can store it as long as you like before receiving your tree and planting.
Many families will transfer the ashes into The Living Urn® bio tree urn on their own and some will ask the funeral home or cremation service provider to help with this step. Transferring the ashes is simple and easy to do. First, remove the bio urn from the bamboo urn case. Open the bio urn and carefully transfer your loved one’s ashes into the bottom of the biodegradable urn.
Keep in mind, The Living Urn® is designed to be used with as much or as little of one set of cremated ashes as desired. You can include all of the ashes or transfer in just a small portion if you prefer. Lesser amounts are used when families want to keep some in their possession, have other uses, or are dividing the ashes into more than one Living Urn®.
Once the ashes have been transferred into the bio urn, place the urn back into the bamboo urn case for safekeeping until you are ready to plant.
You can leave the cremated ashes in the bio urn for weeks or even years prior to planting. However, once you receive your tree, you will want to plant as soon as you can (within a week or so). Also, keep the RootProtect® additive sealed in the bronze bag until you are ready to plant and hang on to the detailed and easy to follow planting instructions which are provided with The Living Urn® and will be helpful in the next steps.
4) Receiving the Tree
The Living Urn® System and the tree are shipped separately. This is done so families have the urn when needed and receive the tree fresh whenever they are ready to plant. Once the tree arrives, it’s best to plant as soon as possible. If you need to wait a few days or even a week, no problem – just place the tree outdoors on a porch or garage but make sure it stays in the shade and out of direct sunlight. You can also lightly drizzle some water in the small pot if the soil feels dry.
5) Planting the Bio Urn and Tree Memorial
Many families will have tree planting ceremonies and involve family and friends in the planting. Others will choose to have a more private tree burial planting experience.
The planting process is straightforward. Detailed, step-by-step and easy to perform instructions are provided with The Living Urn®. Following the instructions, you can prepare ahead of time for the planting. Clear direction is provided for choosing a planting location, preparing the planting site and digging the hole to plant in.
At the time of planting, you will remove the bio urn from the bamboo case and transfer the bag of the special RootProtect® soil additive on top of your loved one’s ashes. Next, follow the instructions provided to plant the tree with the bio urn. The Living Urn® also provides instructions for caring for the tree going forward that include directions for watering the tree and placing plenty of mulch around your tree after planting.
A beautiful living tree memorial will grow and be present to give back, honor your loved one, and be enjoyed by you and your family for many years to come!
Still have questions about bio urns and how they work? Don’t hesitate to reach out to The Living Urn® and its team of arborists at (800) 495-7022 – we’re here to help!