Christmas Tree Farming 102: The Growing Years

Class Overview

• Years 3 to harvest

• Weed Control

• Cultivation

• Trimming

• Marketing

• Pre-Harvest Prep

Weed Control

• Best to start a program when trees are young

• Less resource competition for trees

• Easier to harvest

• Does not give harbor to unwanted rodents/pests

Weed Control

• Know what you are trying to control

• Each weed has a specific chemical to kill or control it – Some chemicals are very broad, others very

specific

• Do not over spray

• Read your product labels – http://www.cdms.net/Label-Database

• Rotate every 2 to 3 years

Weed Control

• Early season and general control mixes (spray before bud break)

– Glysophate (Roundup) & Westar

– Valpar & Goal XL

• Thistle

– Stinger or Transline. Spray after ½ grown and before flowering

Weed Control

• Bracken Fern

– Asulox. Spray in Late July to Early August

• Blackberry

– Triclopyr. Spray post berries in early fall

• Garlon or Element

Site Categories: Pesticide Use Reporting Worksheet - Do Not Mail of FAX This Worksheet to ODA

Agriculture and Forestry

All reports must be submitted electronicly - http://oda.state.or.us/purs

Business or Individual Name:

Date of Use Specific Site (Crop) Location: TRS or GPS Product Brand Name Product EPA Reg. No. or SLN,

Section 18, or EUP Amount Units Purpose

9/22/2014 Judd Rd Element 3A Triclopyr 1pt/acre Control Blackberry

10/7/2014 Judd Rd Element 3A Triclopyr 1 pt/acre Control Blackberry

10/10/2014 Judd Rd Buckaneer Glysophate 4% Control Blackberry

Site Categories:

Agriculture and Forestry

Date of Use Time of day

for Application

Approximate

acres treated

Weather Conditions

(Temp, Wind, ect..) Sprayer Tip

Application Method &

Setup Other Comments Results

9/22/2014 2:00 to 4:00 3 Hot & Sunny Backpack spot treatment Excellent

10/7/2014 10:00 to 1:30 1 Hot & Sunny Backpack spot treatment

10/10/2014 11:00 to 1:00 1.5 Hot & Sunny Backpack spot treatment

Pest Control

• Aphids

– Lorsban & Movento (pesticide license required)

– Lacewings

– Lady Bugs

– Praying Mantis

– Aphidoletes

Fungal

• Bravo

– Spray when new growth is 1” long or before

Fertilizer

• DO NOT over-fertilize!

• Start to fertilize in year 3 or 4 as needed

• It is not necessary to apply every year when trees are young. Every other year is fine.

• Best bang for the buck: starting 2 years prior to harvest

• Up to 300 lbs/acre should be enough for big trees. Less for smaller trees (100 lbs/acre).

Fertilizer Timing

• Fall, just as rains begin

– Washes the fertilizer down into the root zone so trees can access it when they start growing

– Can have a tendency to be diluted or washed too far away

• Late winter early Spring

– More traditional timing so more of the product gets to roots

Fertilizer Application

• Mechanical – Spin Spreader – A more broad approach – Spreads over entire field – Can get more washed away – Can get into lower tree branches and potentially

burn

• Hand – Use a 5 gallon bucket or back pack – Apply a small amount right near base of tree – Best applied around the drip line of tree – More product gets right where the tree can access it

Basal Pruning

• Why do we basal prune? And why now?

– Better weed control around base

– Much easier when trees are small

– Easier to cut at harvest time

– Easier to install in tree stand

– Makes a good presentation to buyers

Basal Pruning

–Do not prune more than 30% of green material

–USDA guideline is 1-1/4” of handle for each foot of anticipated tree height (7’ tree has 8-3/4” handle)

• Real world = length of your clippers+

–Best done in fall/winter so seedling captures that summer’s growth

Grading • Understanding grading helps you grow trees

• 5 “quarters” to a tree

– Top and 4 sides

1 2

3 4

5

1 2

4 3

Grading –A good top:

• Has a good straight leader (natural preferred)

• Has a full complement of branches around the leader

Grading

• Each quarter has a uniform shape to the adjacent side or quarter, and no holes or voids

• Premium – Tree that has 5 perfect quarters

• #1 Grade – Tree with only 1 defect in any of the 5 quarters

• #2 Grade – A tree that has a 2 defects

Trimming Tools

• Get a good pair of clippers – Felco #2 or #11 are widely considered the best

• Ties – Buy them by the case and save money

– Paper (bread type) ties most common

– Zip ties for extra holding strength

– Nursery tape for presentation

– Other…

Trimming Tools

• Bamboo or Stakes

– Bamboo usually purchased in longer bundles and cut to length (approx 16”)

– ½” diameter is ideal

– Wooden stakes usually hand made

• Cedar or Fir

Trimming Tops

• Ask 5 people how to do a top and you will get 5 different answers.

• Some basic tenets:

– A natural leader is always better than a corrected one

– A good top has a good whirl

– Leaders should have lots of buds

Trimming Tops

Trimming Tops

• Timing – Grands and Nordman half way through growing

season (mid-May to June)

– Nobles and Dougs when done growing (late July-Aug.)

• Growing Season Top Work (Grands & Nordman) – Trim out the double tops

– Encourage a natural “straight” top to form

– PVC Tubes

– Sucker Stopper (caution)

– Careful not to damage buds

Trimming Tops

• Post Growing Top Work (Noble & Nordman)

– Cut out multiple tops

– Use bamboo stakes to straighten top

• Twist tie or zip tie to hold in place

– Trim to proper length

• Proper length varies by species and preference

• Look for buds on terminal leader

‐ Where is the natural whirl?

‐ How many intermediate buds?

‐ Art not science

Trimming Tops

• Post Growing Top Work (Dougs & Grands)

– Use a single twist tie to straighten

– Use bamboo if necessary

– A good shearer can single out the top using their shearing knife

Trimming Tops

• Experiment

– Learn what happens when you do this!

• Tag and take photos

• Return the following year and review results

• Your best teacher is YOU!

Shearing

• Safety First

– Chaps

– Heavy leather boots

– Lots of clearance

– NO PETS!

• Knifes

– Keep them sharp

– No notches

Shearing

Shearing

• Shape – Go around tree swinging away from you

– Uniform line from top to bottom

– Avoid “Who-ville” trees • A tree that is narrow at the top and bells out toward

the bottom

– Very few people want a “fat” tree • Keep branches tight to trunk

• Makes going through trees easier

• More trees on a truck

• Lighter trees

Shearing

• Consider using clippers… Only/Partial?

– Use clippers for a more open natural tree

• Only trim longest branches

– Use clippers on more natural trees like Noble and Nordman

– Usually done closer to harvest years

– Safer

– Takes longer

Holes and Voids

• Fix early! – A hole or open spot on a tree is easier to address

when the branches are short

– Correct when problem is first spotted, i.e. that growing year or the previous

– Often overlooked, but can add tremendous value • Take two branches and bring them to the hole and

twist tie together

• Also can use degradable twine or nursery tape

• Take a lower branch and tie it up against the trunk

Animal Damage

Post-Christmas Trimming

• Remove bamboo in the spring before trees start growing again – Never leave the bamboo in over the summer

– Save the bamboo sticks to re-use next year

– Take the trash with you; it makes for a cleaner farm

• If trees were left “loose,” tighten them up – Some trees may be left intentionally “loose” or given a

light shearing to avoid excess blunt ends on branches and make for a more natural tree for potential harvest

– Re-shear to skinny up the tree and avoid “fat” trees

• Fix holes

Trimming Contractor

• How much trimming do you have to do?

• How much time do you have to do it?

• How much money will it cost?

• Hiring a contractor – Get references and look at their work

– Cheapest option is not always the best option

– Build a long term relationship • Everyone has a different style

Trimming Contractor

• Pay by the hour or piece?

– Piece

• Basal pruning, shearing

– Hour

• Tops, holes, spraying, general labor

• Get an itemized bill if possible

– Know what you are paying for

Winter Chores

• Clean up your fields

– If you harvested at all, you are likely to have some debris in the field

– Great time to pile brush for burning

– Clean fields are easier to work in

– Clean looking fields are more attractive to buyers

– Clean looking fields tell buyers you care and have a better product to sell

Winter Chores

• Walk fields during wet weather

– You may have more low lying areas than you think

• Use cones or flags to identify seasonally wet areas of your field

• Know you may need to make adjustments in these areas

• Remove trees, harvest early in cycle, replant with different species

Winter Chores

• Repair Roads

– During winter or at harvest, access roads can get damaged

• Make repairs when weather permits (dry)

• Do them so they have a chance to freeze/thaw allowing them to harden over

Speaking of roads . . .

• If you have not thought about roads, it’s about time

• How do you into and out of your field?

• How much traffic over a specific area?

• Slopes degrade first in winter

– Use rock if necessary

• Give grass road at least 2 years to harden over properly

Landing

• Staging area where trees are sorted and loaded

• Should be a tough surface, usually rocked

• Make sure access from paved road is good, i.e. rocked

• Will you have semi truck traffic? – Fully loaded semi truck is 80,000 lbs

– You will need a thick layer of rock

Expenses

• Don’t overlook the cost side of the business

• Do not under estimate how much growing trees is going to cost

– Labor costs only seem to go up. Plan on $10-$15/hr

– Fertilizer prices are tied to oil prices

– Fuel can cost up to 5% of your annual sales

– Biggest annual expense is trimming

Bookkeeping

• Get yourself a good accountant!

• Keep good track of your expenses

• Consider using Quickbooks or some other business accounting software

– Take a class on how to use it at your local Community College

Marketing

• Maybe more important than growing!

• How do people know you have trees for sale?

• Start early – Network with other growers

• Join the PNW Tree Growers or Oregon Christmas Tree Growers Association or other

– Create a webpage

– Start a Facebook page for your business • Don’t just talk about your farm on your personal page

Marketing

• Start showing your farm to potential buyers as soon as you can

– Don’t be afraid to show your farm to people any time of year

– Knowledgeable buyers know what they are looking at

– Ask for their input

• I get some of my best ideas from customers

• Maybe they want a tree grown a specific way

Marketing

• U-Cut

– Signage

• Tell them when you will be open

– i.e. “Open in Fall of 2018”

• Start buy selling other products early

– Wreaths, boughs, and ornaments

– Build that audience on Facebook

– Work with non-profits to drive people to your farm

• Discount coupons if sold by the Boy Scouts…$5 saves them $10, etc.

Pricing

• Start checking with other growers on prices

– Don’t just check with one

– Pay close attention to those in your same market niche

• Keep up with market trends in the industry

– Are Grand fir really going away?

– Do people want fuller Noble fir or more natural?

Harvest Prep

• Start thinking about who will harvest • Start looking for used equipment

– Most is advertised near harvest season

• Equipment likely needed: – Chainsaws – Baler – Elevator – Trailers

• More to come in Christmas Trees 103 in 2017 at Clackamas Tree School

Thank You!

Questions?

Contact info:

Tom Norby

Trout Creek Tree Farm

503-307-1609

tom@troutcreektreefarm.com

Year 3

• Implement a good weed control program

• Good time to basal prune

• Clean out dead trees

• Check fields in fall for blackberry and brushy weeds (Fall is the best time to control)

• Build a website

Year 4

• Continue weed control (rotate spray mix assuming you have been doing the same thing for 3 years now)

• Basal prune if you have not already done it

• Cut out dead trees – Watch for patterns of dying trees

• Spray brush in fall

• Build harvest roads now – Gives grass roads time to harden up

• Start a business Facebook page

Year 5

• Continue weed control

– can consider cutting back on sprays or spot only

• Cut out dead trees

• Spray brush in fall

• Maintain harvest roads

• Build a main landing

• Start showing fields

Years 6 and 7

• Continue weed control (rotate spray mix)

• Cut out dead trees

• Spray brush in fall

• Maintain harvest roads

• Build a main landing if you have not already done so

• Create a price list

• Don’t forget to get the word out about your farm, i.e. Facebook, website, Twitter, Instagram