Life Cycle Of A Christmas Tree
What would Christmas be without a Christmas tree
? Most people don't think about Christmas trees until November or December, when they go out to select that perfect tree for the family. However, Christmas tree production is a multi-million pound industry that requires year-round management efforts. Christmas trees occupy a unique niche, incorporating aspects of both agricultural production and forestry. Insect and disease pests can have major effects on tree growth, appearance and value. Managing these pests, along with weeds and even rodents, is a critical component of tree production.Approximately 38 million natural Christmas trees are purchased each year by American consumers. These trees represent the annual harvest of an estimated 20,000 individual growers who annually plant, trim, protect and otherwise manage trees on roughly 500,000 acres of plantations. More than 15 different conifer species are grown for Christmas trees.
A major challenge for Christmas tree producers is to determine which tree species will be popular with consumers several years in the future. Although several species are utilized as Christmas trees, the majority of trees sold at retail markets today are Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir and Scotch pine. Species such as white spruce, Austrian pine and red pine are no longer as popular as they were in the past. Producers who are not sensitive to shifts in consumer preference will have difficulty marketing even high-quality trees of less preferred species.
Shearing can affect pest infestation or damage. For example, tight shearing can result in very dense crowns with little air circulation. This situation can lead to problems with needle casts or other foliage diseases.
Not all species used for commercial Christmas tree production grow equally well on all sites. Factors such as soil texture and fertility, water availability and air drainage will affect growth rates and tree quality. In general, true firs and Douglas-fir require better quality sites than pines and spruces. Species that are planted "off-site" will frequently experience stressful conditions. These trees are more likely to be attacked by insect or disease pests, and will be less likely to tolerate or recover from pest damage, than healthier trees.
In the past, Christmas tree plantations were sometimes established with little or no site preparation other than removal of competing woody vegetation. Survival and success of these plantation were mixed. Where site preparation was minimal, pines were easier to produce than spruces or firs. Modern Christmas tree operations often spend much effort in site preparation activities including tillage, use of cover crops and soil fertility enhancement. These efforts pay off in higher seedling survival, fewer pest problems on young trees, more rapid initial growth and an overall increase in tree quality.
Actual harvesting begins in late October and will continue on through mid-December. After cutting, trees are shaken to remove dead foliage and debris, and then baled with string or net. Trees are then transported from the plantation to storage or loading yard where they will be stored until shipment. Shipment to retail centres and stores is usually well underway by November 18 to 20.
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