Last updated on March 2nd, 2024 at 06:02 pm
Christmas tree farming is the production and harvesting of Christmas trees. It differs from other types of tree farming (pine, spruce, etc.) because it involves the growing of trees specifically for the Christmas season.
The purpose of Christmas trees planting is to provide high quality Christmas trees to consumers who want a beautiful and affordable tree grown in an environmentally friendly way.
The most common type of Christmas trees are evergreen conifers that have needles that last a long time without drying out and falling off.
These types of trees include Douglas fir, Scotch pine and White pine. Other types of trees used include Nordmann fir, Noble fir, Balsam fir, Fraser fir and Blue spruce. All these species take about seven years to grow into a full size Christmas tree before they can be harvested for sale.
The cost of starting a Christmas tree farm
How much does it cost to start a Christmas tree farm?
Christmas tree farming is a relatively low-cost enterprise, with a small investment required. You can start a Christmas tree farm on a small plot of land, even in your backyard. The most important thing you’ll need is seedlings, which you can buy from a nursery or any operation that specializes in growing trees. You may also need to pay for the cost of planting and maintaining your trees as they are growing.
So:
If you are going to be selling trees on your property, make sure that you get the appropriate license from the county governing body.
Different states have different requirements in order for an individual to sell items at their home.
Types of Christmas tree
There are many types of trees you can use for a Christmas tree for farming, such as Pines and Firs.
If you live in an area with hot summers and cool winters, then a pine tree may be your best option. The trees are known to get larger than firs, but they do have some disadvantages. They are more susceptible to diseases and pests. Fir trees also grow faster than pines and will produce much more wood per year.
That simply means that:
If you’re living in an area with milder winters and hotter summers then a fir tree is likely the better choice.
However:
There are several different types of firs you can choose from including: Scots Pine, Douglas-fir, Fraser Fir, Western Hemlock, White Spruce, Black Spruce, Red Cedar and White Fir.
How to grow a Christmas tree in a field(individually vs container-grown)
If you are planting in the field, choose a site that has well-drained soil. Avoid low-lying areas that may be prone to flooding. The best Christmas trees grow on sandy or loamy soils with high organic content. It is also recommended to test your soil for its nutrients before planting. You can do this by arranging for a soil sample test at your local agricultural extension office.
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Choose an appropriate species of tree for your region. Some species will do well in certain climates, but not others. If you’re not sure about which species to plant, contact another Christmas tree farmer in your area and get their recommendation as to what does well locally.
Dig holes twice as wide and just as deep as the containers or bags when planting them out into the field. For container-grown trees, gently remove the container from around the root ball without disturbing it too much and put it straight into the ground without delay so they don’t dry out while they wait to be planted (just make sure there aren’t strong winds blowing when doing this!).
Plant young trees 18 feet apart within rows and 25 feet between rows (5m x 7 m). Water newly planted trees regularly until they become established
How long does it take to grow a 6 foot tree
If you want to grow and harvest a 6 foot tree, you’ll need to plant the seeds in early spring months. Then you can harvest the trees in late fall. The trees should be ready for sale by early winter, just in time for Christmas.
But:
Since people are looking for 6 foot trees, it’s important that your crop meets those standards.
And:
If a tree is too tall or too short, people might not want to buy them. It’s also possible that if your tree is too short or tall, it won’t fit on the lot where people will sell them around Christmas time.
As far as growing goes, there are different types of six-foot trees that you’ll want to consider. You might want something with lots of berries on it, like juniper or yew – but those tend to be slow growers (10 years+). For fast growing options with no berries on them at all (like douglas fir) consider planting Colorado blue spruce or white spruce seedlings which can reach their full height within 5 years.
Once they’re ready to be sold, make sure they’re cut down in early December so that they’ll still look fresh when Christmas comes around.
What you may
Where to purchase a Christmas tree for your farm
Now that you know the basics about Christmas tree production, it’s time to get some trees for your farm. There are several ways to go about this:
- Buy from a nursery or Christmas tree farm. This is the best way to get trees because you can pick out which ones you want and they’ll be acclimated to the local environment. However, if you’re just starting out it’ll be difficult to purchase many trees at once because they are often sold by the individual seedling. You may also pay a significant premium on each tree due to their high quality, so this probably isn’t a good option if you’re planning on only buying a few trees each year until your farm is fully established.
- Go cut down your own. This is usually an expensive option but it gives you full control over where and how many of each species of tree you get. If you live near a national forest with an easy access point, this could be the best option for getting large quantities of high quality trees in one place without needing any special equipment (like tractors).
- Get them for cheap from other farmers who need space fast (or don’t have enough). This is another great way
to get great deals on trees that may not sell well at market prices; however, just like with nurseries there will likely only be one or two varieties available at any given time depending upon when they had their last harvest season(s).
9 tips for selling your Christmas trees
The first step to successfully selling the trees that you’ve worked hard to grow is pricing them properly. Charge too little, and your tree farm will not be profitable. Charge too much and you may find yourself without any buyers.
Ideally:
A good way to ensure that you are charging an appropriate price for your trees is by comparing the prices at local competitors. This can give you a general idea of what others in your area charge for their Christmas trees. You can then base your own prices on this information.
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