Did you know that New York state ranks fourth in the country for acres dedicated to growing Christmas trees? According to the Cornell Cooperative Extension, there are a number of farms in Niagara County devoted to this holiday special.
Growing Christmas trees is more than just planting a sampling and waiting seven or eight years for a tree to be ready to harvest. As with the crops we consume, science and intentional practices help make this a profitable business.
As with other crops, farmers start with the soils. What are the nutrient levels? Do we need to add any? At the same time, location is important. It might not be a worry if the farmer is going to harvest the trees to sell. However, if people will be going through to cut their own, accessibility is a concern.
What varieties should you plant? In New York, there are five popular fir species and four popular spruce species. The soil, growing season and customer preferences can guide this selection.
Trees are planted in the spring. If you look at an area with Christmas trees, they are planted in straight rows, with six to eight feet between the rows. The small saplings will need the space to branch out as they mature. After planting, the saplings need adequate water. As the trees mature and the roots take hold, that is less of an issue.
Like other crops, there can be disease and insect challenges. If sprays are needed to protect the crop, the same rules that other tree farms follow apply here. Farmers are constantly reading the labels, updating their application licenses and maintaining Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
Do Christmas trees naturally grow to the proper shape? The basic shape is there. Many farmers do practice shearing the trees. After the trees are three or four years old, they are shaped with various types of pruners. When shaping the trees, new growth is pruned in a way to allow many small branches to form. That will allow for space for many ornaments. Farmers are careful not to shear too deeply so that many new branches can form in subsequent years.
Once a group of trees have been removed, the process starts over the following spring. For U-pick operations, farmers may choose to replant near where a tree was removed. Others prefer to finish one plot and start the process from the beginning.
Ornamental horticulture is another branch of agriculture in New York, pun intended. As with many of the other products you’ve read about here, there are local growers ready to share their product and answer your questions.
May this holiday season be filled with joy and peace for all of you.