Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
12/11/00
Contacts:
Paul Wray, ISU Extension Forestry, (515) 294-1168, phw@iastate.edu
Elaine H. Edwards, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-5168, eedwards@iastate.edu
Yard and Garden Column for the Week Beginning Dec. 15
The Iowa Christmas Tree
By Paul Way
Extension Forester
Iowa State University Extension
Each year in the United States, more than 35 million Christmas trees are harvested. This tradition, dating back to the 16th century in Strasbourg, Germany, (now part of France) has continued and thrived into the 21st century. The first retail offering of the Christmas tree was in New York City in 1851. Each year since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association provides the first family with a fresh, renewable tree.
Christmas trees are renewable, unlike their artificial counterparts made of petroleum or plastic. In fact, each year more than 59 percent of trees sold are recycled by community programs into useful mulch for our flowers and trees. They also are renewable, because every spring growers plant more than 56 million new seedlings. For more information, visit the National Christmas Tree Growers Association's Web site at http://www.realchristmastrees.org/.
Iowa has approximately 200 growers, producing trees both for retail lots and choose-and-cut operations. Popular species include Scotch pine, white pine, red pine, balsam fir and Fraser fir. For the grower, the sale season is not the only busy time of the year. Growing Christmas trees is a year-round plan of action. For a list of Iowa growers, visit the Iowa Department of Agriculture's Web site at http://www2.state.ia.us/agriculture/xmastreedirec.htm.
Trees must be planted every year. Starting in the fall, growers do site preparation for planting and use tillage or herbicides to remove competing grasses and weeds. They also contact nurseries to order their planting stock. In April, trees are either planted by hand or machine. Hand planting involves using tree planting bars, shovels or spades to plant the trees, making sure they are planted straight and at the right depth to produce a high quality tree. After planting, growers must apply a layer of organic mulch for weed control or use one of the registered herbicides to prevent weed and grass competition during the growing season. Weed control is required every year on every tree until they are marketed.
During much of the spring and summer the trees must be monitored for insect and disease problems. Common insect pests for the Iowa grower include pine needle scale and European sawfly; common diseases are brown spot and Lophoderium needlecast. In addition, the growers face other biological obstacles including deer, gopher, ground squirrels, mice and voles. Birds cause deformed leaders by perching on them as they expand in the spring. Weather and climate also have impacts including damage from too little or too much precipitation, winds, ice and snow.
Newly planted trees may require staking to correct leaning trees and to correct multiple leaders during their first three years. In June and July, starting two to four years after planting, each tree is sheared to control growth, shape, density and form. Growers may thin the number of shoots in each tree and control the expansion of the leader to produce trees that have desirable density of leaves and branches. Terminal growth is limited to develop trees with greater density and symmetry. Trees are shaped with either shearing knives or mechanical shears or trimmers to produce that ideal shape for a Christmas tree, which is twice as high as wide. Quality shearing produces quality trees and is one of the most important cultural practices in the production of Christmas trees; it also is the most labor intensive cultural treatment. Growers also may basal prune each tree, allowing for easier harvesting and providing a branch-free handle for the consumer.
Some species of trees produced in Iowa require an application of a tint and anti-desiccant to maintain their good green color during the Christmas season. These dyes are normally applied with mist blowers or hand sprayers during September to November.
Starting in October, growers get ready to market their product. Most Iowa trees are sold in the field as choose-and-cut operations. These trees are tagged, graded and priced. Christmas tree growers are responsible for advertising their product, providing access to the plantings and helping the consumer harvest the "perfect" tree. This may involve providing shakers to help remove old needles, or Christmas tree bags or bailers to get the tree home and into the house. Wholesale growers are usually responsible for harvesting each tree, shaking, bailing the tree and, in may cases, delivering the trees to the retail lots in towns and communities.
After Christmas, the growers are allowed a little rest before the process starts over again. This year as you decorate and enjoy your natural, renewable Christmas tree, remember it involves a whole lot more than planting and harvesting that tree seven to 12 years later. Give your grower an extra smile and a pat on the back for a job well done. Enjoy your Iowa grown natural Christmas tree.
ml: isugarden
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