Preface to the PDF version of the Southern New England Christmas Tree Grower's Manual The Southern New England Christmas Tree Growers ' Manual was originally published in 1992. Much of the information it contains remains useful and valid. However, the manual contained specific recommendations for herbicides and pesticides as well as information pertaining to taxes and business practices that are no longer current. We are aware that many people consider this manual an invaluable source, so what we have done is blocked out the obsolete information and provide here a pdf version of the manual as a free download. You may notice that some of the page numbers are missing; these are pages for which the entire content was deleted. For information on herbicides and/or pesticides, we recommend that you consult your state's Cooperative Extension System, department of agriculture or department of environmental protection. Information on business practices is available from the Small Business Administration and tax information from the Internal Revenue Service or your state' s department of revenue services. Southern New England Christmas Tree Growers' Manual Edited by Dr. Mark H. Brand Department of Plant Science The University of Connecticut Contributing Authors Dr. John F. Ahrens Valley Laboratory The Connecticut Agricuitural Experiment Station Dr. Mark H. Brand Department of Plant Science The University of Connecticut Stephen H. Broderick Cooperative Extension System The University of Connecticut Dr. Richard A. Jaynes Broken Arrow Nursery Hamden, Connecticut John Leyden Big John's Christmas Trees West Greenwich, Rhode Island Thorn J. McEvoy Cooperative Extension Service The University of Vermont Dr. Donald R. Progulski Department of Wildlife Management The University of Massachusetts Dr. David B. Schroeder Department of Natural Resources Management and Engineering The University of Connecticut The authors wish to thank the following individuals for their important contributions to this publication: Martin Cubanski, Philip Jones, Pete Merrill and William Merrill Jr. Special thanks to Peter Wood Table of Contents I. Introduction. ................ .. .. .... I Eriophyid Mites ............... ..... 52 European Pine Shoot Moth . .... .. ... ... 52 II. Selecting a Site . .. 3 Gypsy Moth ................ ........... 53 Soil Characteristics . .. 3 Nantucket Pine Tip Moth . .... ..... .. 53 Slope and Aspect. .. 3 Northern Pine Weevil . ......... .. ...... 54 Air Movement and Drainage . .. ... ... ... 4 Pales Weevil ........................... 54 Su nli ght ............................. 4 Pine Bark Adelgid ...................... 54 Accessibility, .............. , . .. 4 Pine Need le Scale ...................... 55 Ill. Laying Out the Site and Site Preparation. .. 5 Pine Root Collar Weevil .. .......... .. .. 55 Site Layout ....... .................... 5 Pine Sawfly ................ •......... 56 Site Preparation .... ........... ....... , 5 White Pine Aphid ............ .. ........ 56 Suggestions for Ideal Layout of a Spruce Spider Mite ..........•...... ... 57 Sma ll Christmas Tree Plantation .... .. 6 White Pine Weevil ............... ....... 57 Spruce Twig Midge ........... ......... 58 IV. Choosing the Right Species ............. 7 White Pine. .. 8 X. Disease Control ............ ......... 59 Douglas-fir .................... ..... 9 Rhabdocline Needle Cast ... ... ...... .. 59 Co lorado Spruce; Colorado Blue Spruce .... 10 Sw iss Need le Cast .................... 59 Eastern White Pine . ............... .... 11 Lophodermium Needle Cast ............. 60 Scotch (Scots) Pine .................... 12 Cycia neusma (Naemacycius) Need le Cast ... 60 Fraser Fir . ..... ...... ............... 13 Sweetfern Rust .............. , .... , .... 60 Balsam Fir .. ... .... ............ .. .. ... 14 Air Pollution Injury .. .. ................ 60 Minor Conifers with Potential for Tip Blight ....... , ....... ..... .. .. .... 61 Use in Southern New England .......... 14 Shoestring Root Rot ............. •... .. 61 White Pine Root Decline ................ 61 V. Planting Stock and Planting ............. 19 Types of Planting Stock . ................ 19 XI. Animal Damage and Control ..... ....... 63 Obtai ning Planting Stock ................ 20 Vole ... ...... ............... .. ... 63 Growi ng Your Own Seedlings and Woodchuck ...................... , .... 65 Transplant Stock ..... ....... .. ....... 21 White-footed Mouse .............. ..... 64 A Planting Plan ................ .. .... 24 Deer .......... .. ..................... 64 Planting .................... ......... 25 Rabbits .. ............................ 66 Bi~............ ......... ~ VI. Permanent Cover Crops . ............... 27 Selecting Cover Crops for XII. Shearing and Shaping .... .. ............ 67 Christmas Tree Plantings ..... ..... 27 Equipment ................ ... ...... 67 Establishing Cover Crops in Shaping ......... .... .... ............ 67 Christmas Tree Plantings ...... ...... 28 Basal Pruning ......................... 70 Tying Leaders .. , ....... • .............. 71 VII. Fertilization and Irrigation ...... ....... 29 Conc lusion ............ .. ............. 71 So il Testing ........................... 29 pH Maintenance ........ .......... .. .. 30 XIII. Marketing ... .... .. .....•............ 73 Fertility Needs and Fertilizer Types ........ 31 Wholesaling ...................... ... 73 Irrigation . ............................ 34 Retailing ............................. 74 Live Balled and Burlapped VIII. Weed Control ................... .... 35 Christmas Trees . .. .. .............. .. 76 Types of Weeds Encountered in Ch ristmas Shops ......... ............. 77 Christmas Tree Plantings .. ..... .. ... 35 Related Products .............. ........ 78 Cultural Methods of Controll ing Weeds .... 36 Chemi ca l Methods of Controlling XlV. Reporting Expenses and Income ......... 79 Weeds (Herbicides) ............. .... 37 Recordkeeping .......... .............. 79 How to Treat Costs of Growing IX. Insect Control ..... ................... 49 Christmas Trees ..... ................. 79 Pesticide Recommendations ............. 49 Reporting Income from Bagworm ..... ... ................... 50 Christmas Tree Sales .................. 80 Balsam Twig Aphid . ... ...... ...... .. ... 50 Summary ....... ..... .......... ..... 82 Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid ...... ....... 51 Eastern Spruce Gall Adelgid ............. 52 XV. Christmas Tree Management Calendar .... 83 I. Introduction planting more and more Christmas per foot (depending on location and trees. The average southern New species) for the most common sized England Christmas tree grower, tree (5' to T tall). The total gross For those who have based on survey responses, has been income that can be expected per acre the land and the in business 13 years and manages an will be anywhere from $15,000 to inclination, Christ­ average of 10 acres of land (1988). $30,000 for a nine-year rotation. In­ mas tree growing Operations of up to 150 acres can be vestments for plants, supplies and can be both a found in southern New England. An labor (not including land or equip­ challenging and average grower plants over 1,400 ment investments) will be a mini­ rewarding occupa­ trees per year and sells nearly 400 mum of $3,000 per acre. tion, whether it is trees annually (1988). The largest done on a part-time or operations plant as many as 20,000 A large percentage (27%) of south­ full-time basis. Christmas trees annually and sell 10,000 trees. ern New England growers have been tree production can be done on as in the Christmas tree business five few as two or three acres, or on as years or less. Since a Christmas tree many as hundreds of acres. generally requires five to seven years of growth before it is sold, these On all but the smallest of scales, how­ farms have sold few, if any, trees, ever, Christmas tree growing is a indicating the possibility of an influx business. Too many landowners in of trees into the market in the next the past have planted Christmas trees several years. with little understanding of the care required to bring them to maturity In the past, the supply of trees was and market. If you decide to grow not able to keep up with demand. Christmas trees, you must plan on a The current situation, however, is considerable investment of time and less lopsided. More southern New money. There will be no return until England growers, more imported your trees mature in at least six or trees and the popularity of artificial seven years. You must be prepared trees have all made the natural to deal with the regular cultural and Christmas tree industry in this protection needs of your plantation, region more competitive. The wise and you should keep careful and grower of the future, therefore, will accurate records from the start. have to produce top-quality trees and Christmas tree production cannot learn to market them successfully. consist of simply planting seedlings in a field and then returning seven Production of Christmas trees in years later with the hope of selling southern New England does have ad­ the plants. vantages that may not be readily real­ ized in other Christmas tree growiI)g In the fall of 1989, The University of regions of North America. Southern Connecticut Cooperative Extension New England is one of the most den­ System and Department of Plant sely populated regions of the United Science, in cooperation with the States and is, perhaps, the largest Massachusetts Cooperative Extension To get an estimate of the productivity single