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Vol. 68 No. 11 • News Edition A Publication of the American Horticultural Society November 1989 Using a Beneke shearing machine, Virginia grower AI White carefully prunes and shapes one of his 50,000 Christmas trees on a hot summer's day. Front Royal-Warren Sentinel photo by Ginger Perry The Business of Christmas f you have ever thought that grow­ For White the Christmas year begins seedlings purchased from the Virginia ing Christmas trees might be an in early March, when he plants State Forestry Service. He has planted undemanding part-time occupation, thousands of two-year-old white pine as few as 6,000 seedlings, but in recent I think again It's a commitment that requires year-round attention and nonstop effort during the holiday season. It's also extremely competitive In This Issue and ties up capital for many years. AI White, owner of the Glen Manor A Christmas Tree Farm 1 All-America Selections Christmas Tree Farm in Front Royal, · 12 Vrrginia, started his Christmas tree busi­ Members' Forum 4 Growing Shiitakes · 14 ness in 1979, three years before he retired from the U.S. Department of Education. Saving the Chestnut 6 Gardener's Q&A · 15 Inspired by a national Christmas tree growers' conference, he researched the idea Building a Mist Bench 8 Gardener's Bookshelf · 16 of starting a tree farm to keep him busy Rehousing House Plants 9 Gardener's Dateline · 18 during retirement. Today he and his partners--brother-in-Iaw Stuart Rudacille Regional Notes 10 AHS Bulletin .20 and sons Mark, Steve, and Jeff White-are all kept busy by their thriving 50,000-tree Sod . ...... 11 Classifieds .22 £ann. ''It's a full timejob now," he chuckles. years has been planting 10,000 every In 1986 White lost all 10,000 seedlings American spring. Although he rents a planting due to drought. However, in some machine to reduce labor, "somebody years, severe losses can be caused by Horticultural Society still has to hold the seedling over the too much rain. hole," he notes. OFFICERS 1989·1990 Several times a year, he must spray the Mrs. Carolyn Marsh Lindsay, President AdvertiSing and Marketing Mr. John H. Whitworth Jr., trees with herbicides, fertilizers, and in­ 1s t Vice President secticides, and in summer, there is the One aspect ofthe business that would-be Mrs. John M. Maury, 2nd Vice President never-ending chore of mowing the grass growers rarely think about is how to Mr. Richard C. Angino, Secretary between the trees. Because the expense market and sell the trees. ''It's a Mr. Richard J. Hutton, Treasurer far outweighs the benefit, Christmas competitive market," says David Mr. Everitt L Miller, Immediate Past President trees are not irrigated, and grass that Baumann, associate executive director might rob them of moisture and for the National Christmas Tree BOARD OF DIRECTORS nutrients must be constantly cut down. Association in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Richard C. Angino, Harrisburg, PA "It forces growers to become marketers." Mr. George W. Ball Jr., West Chicago, IL A few years ago, that wasn't necessary; Dr. Sherran Blair, Columbus, OH Summer Shearing Mrs. Benjamin P. Bole Jr., Cleveland, OH consumers would practically knock down Mr. J. Judson Brooks, Sewickley, PA In the middle of summer, just when a grower's door and beg for good trees. Dr. Henry M. Cathey, Washington, DC Christmas is furthest from most minds, But while the business of producing plan­ Mr. Russell B. Clark, Boston, MA the enormous task of tree shearing tation-grown trees is less than 30 years Mrs. Erastus Corning II, Albany, NY begins. Between June 15 and July 15, old, it has now matured to the point that Mrs. Ann Lyon Crammond, Atlanta, GA all 50,000 trees must be pruned and . there is an overabundance of high Mr. Edward N. Dane, Boston, MA trimmed to produce a compact shape quality trees, Baumann said. Mrs. Beverley White Dunn, and to encourage the central leader to Around Thanksgiving, White mails Birmingham, AL branch. With only 30 days to complete flyers to past customers. "I have heard Mr. K. Albert Ebinger, Boxford, MA Mr. Richard J. Hutton, West Grove, PA this task, White enlists the help of his other people advertise on the radio and Mr. Stephen F. Keating, Wayzata, MN partners, family, and part-time I may do radio someday too," he says. Mr. David M. Lilly, SI. Paul, MN employees. This two-step process The Glen Manor Farm sells to both Mrs. Carolyn Marsh Lindsay, Rochester, NY requires small hedge clippers, shearing wholesalers and retailers, and part of Mrs. John M. Maury, Washington, DC knives, and a battery-operated Beneke the farm is devoted to a "choose and Mr. Elvin McDonald, Brooklyn, NY shearing machine. As one person trims cut" field where families can select a Mr. Everitt L. Miller, Kennett Square, PA back the central leader of the tree with tree and cut it down themselves. Many Mr. Frank L. Robinson, Springfield, VA shearing knives, another uses the growers draw customers by staging Mrs. Jane Scarff, New Carlisle, OH Beneke to trim the side branches and holiday festivals at the farms. Mrs. Virginia Urschel, Montecito, CA Mr. Andre Viette, Fishersville, VA shape the tree into an inverted cone. Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes, Although time is short and the staff A Full-Time Business Mount Vernon, VA must work swiftly, they must also Mr. John H. Whitworth Jr., New York, NY concentrate to avoid accidents with the Because of this overproduction, Mrs. Jean Verity Woodhull, Dayton, OH sharp knives and tools. Baumann advises anyone contemplat­ ing entering the market within the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tagging and Harvesting next five years, at least, to think long Mr. Frank L. Robinson and hard about where their trees Several weeks later, mature trees are would be sold. AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST measured and tagged with colored rib­ If you are going to produce quality EDITOR: Kathleen Fisher bon to denote height so that staff can trees, you can't think of it as a hobby, ASSISTANT EDITORS: easily spot and cut specific trees in agrees W.T. Francisco, president oithe Peggy Lytton, Mary Beth Wiesner December when filling an order. Most Virginia Christmas Tree Growers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Martha Palermo ofthe trees White sells are from six to Association. "It's a full-time business DESIGN DIRECTOR: nine feet tall; a few taller ones are sold and you need time to devote to the Rebecca K. McClimans for commercial display. Christmas-tree business." Before you plant your first MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR: growing ties up capital anywhere from seedling, he advises, take about two Kathleen B. Amberger years to research the business, analyze ADVERTISING: American Horticultural four to 12 years, depending on the Society Advertising Department, SO South species involved. It takes White's two­ the cost and time factors, visit state Early Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22304. year-old pines six to seven years to and national meetings, and create a Phone(703)S23-6966. reach salable height. sound business plan. Cull trees-too scrawny or misshapen Fortunately, there is help available to Address all editorial correspondence to : The Editor, American Horticulturist, American Horticultural for living room display-are cut and both new and long-time growers. The Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, used for wreaths and greenery. National Christmas Tree Association Virginia 22308. AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST. ISSN 0096·4417. is published by the American Horticultural Because of the added labor and has plenty ofliterature, business and SOCiety. 7931 East Boulevard Drive. Alexandria. Virginia expense in making wreaths, cull trees marketing information, plus yearly 22308. (703) 768-5700, and is issued six times a year as realize less of a net profit than living meetings for people to meet fellow a magazine and six times a year as a news edition. The American Horticultural Society is a nonprofit organization room specimens, and some trees are a growers and to learn the latest tech­ devoted to excellence in horticulture. Botanical nomencla­ total loss. Of the 10,000 seedlings he niques. State affiliates of the national ture in AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is based on HORTUS TH IRD. National membership dues are $30; plants each spring, White expects association also provide cultural assis­ two years are $55. Foreign dues are $40. $12 of dues are about 20 percent to be lost to dryness tance and business advice. Two state designated for AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST. Copyright © 1989 by the American Horticultural SOCiety. or insects (seedlings are particularly agencies, the State Forestry Service Second-class postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia and at susceptible to moisture loss). The los­ and the State Extension Service, pro­ additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send Form vide advice and solve cultural problems 3579 to AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST, 7931 East ses may be even heavier in years of Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22308. severe drought or insect infestations. for growers in their areas. 2 • American Horticulturist · November 1989 Left: Rows of perfectly groomed conifers bring promises of satisfied customers and happy Christmases. Right: Protected by knee guards, field workers must trim the trees carefully yet swiftly. Although the Northwest is the artificial trees are manufactured in highest producing region of the Asia. The business not only aids the country, all 50 states have plantation­ U.S. economy by providing 100,000 Fall Prevention for grown Christmas tree farms. Hybridiza­ jobs and taxes from $1.2 billion in tion of pine trees has allowed income, but it also benefits the environ­ Scales and Mites Christmas tree production to extend ment. Christmas tree production uses into Southern states such as Florida, more than one million acres in the Dormant oils, a means of controlling Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas.

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