Christmas Tree Production
Land owners looking for extra sources of income are often interested in Christmas tree production, and with good reason. Christmas trees are in great demand during the holiday season, and with some good planning and a little good fortune, a grower can make a good income. It isn’t a foolproof occupation, however. There are a number of things that can go wrong for a person getting into the Christmas tree market. Read on for some basic principles of this exciting business.
First of all, on the plus side is the fact that you do not need extremely fertile ground for growing young conifers. In fact, too good of ground is likely to grow weeds too well, which can be a real hindrance for young trees. You need a level plot of ground, too, because a sloping lot will cause the trees to be shaped poorly, and they will also be hard to harvest.
There are a number of different ways to market your trees when you grow them. It is important to have a plan for selling when you plant the trees in the first place. For instance, you might want to let customers come and cut their own trees in a “you-cut” lot. Or you can cut the trees and sell them wholesale to retailers. You can cut the trees and sell them yourself in a centrally located lot. Each of these plans has pros and cons.
The location of your land will have some bearing on which of these marketing plans will work best for you. A you-cut lot will do best if you are within a few miles of a highly populated area. People are not likely to drive a long way to get their trees. The same principle applies to selling your own trees in a lot. It also needs to be close to where people live. Selling trees wholesale usually works best for growers in remote areas.
It takes several years from planting to selling, so a grower needs to have another source of income in the beginning stages. The planting lot needs to be prepared the season before trees are planted, and then the trees need time to grow. They need a spot five by five feet square in order to grow unhindered. At this spacing, over 1700 Christmas trees can be grown per acre.
It is a good idea to plant several varieties of Christmas tree because it is impossible to predict which types of trees will be popular and which types will be in short supply. Scotch pines grow well in many areas and are one of the most popular species. The grand fir is another very popular variety, as are the Douglas fir and the Colorado blue spruce.
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