SPRING:

In the spring the Christmas tree grower plants young trees. These are either seedlings (2 year old plants) or transplants (3-5 year old plants). Transplants have a better survival rate because they are more mature plants and can survive greater fluctuations in the weather, but they are also more costly than seedlings.

"Hand Planting a small seedling"

Beginning in March the Fraser firs are “set out” (planted) either by hand or with the help of a tractor mounted planting machine. The method used depends on how wet the soil is in early spring. Using a tractor in very wet soil leaves permanent ruts in the field that make it difficult to care for the trees during the next ten years. Hand planting is, of course, more labor intensive. The trees are planted in straight rows 6’ apart to allow for proper room to grow. Every 10 or 12 rows a roadway is left unplanted so the farm machinery can easily access the crop.

"Hand Planting"

"Machine Planting"

After trees are planted they are kept free of weeds and insects with various spraying techniques. They are fertilized every year for the next 7 to 10 years until they are harvested. Fertilizer is needed to help the trees grow strong and thick. The fertilizer used is called NPK. N is for nitrogen which helps green up the leaves, makes the stems longer and increases the number and size of buds. P is for phosphorus which helps photosynthesis and helps promote root growth. K is for potassium which helps prevent premature needle loss.

SUMMER:

In the summer we mow and mow and mow! The grass and weeds grow quickly with the summer rains. To minimize weeds around the trees, herbicides are sprayed. To keep grass and weeds under control on the roadways we mow with a tractor. Destroying weeds helps keep rodents exposed to natural predators like red fox, hawks and other birds of prey. If rodents are not kept under control they can eat the bark of young trees killing them.

Close watch is kept on the trees for insect and disease infestations. When any crop is grown in quantity, insects and disease are a problem. Control is achieved by spraying insecticides and fungicides. These chemicals are used to cure a specific problem but they are expensive and we do not use them unless absolutely necessary.

"Spraying fields for weeds and insects"

Beginning in mid-June, after the trees have their new growth, the most painstaking part of tree farming begins: shearing. Many weeks are spent in the fields shaping the trees. Christmas trees get their first shearing when they are 3’tall. After that they are trimmed every year. Each tree is trimmed by hand, top to bottom, by workers wearing long sleeved shirts, hats and gloves regardless of the heat. It takes several minutes to shear each tree. By holding back the rapid upward growth of the tree we can encourage the tree to branch more quickly and gradually achieve the full bushy appearance that you look for in a Christmas tree. Ideally a tree should resemble a cone, wide at the base and tapering uniformly to the tip. Shearing is necessary for high-quality Christmas trees.

"Shearing the trees"

FALL:

In September, after all the trees are trimmed and enjoying the cooler temperatures, we look all over our fields to determine which trees are ready for harvest. We place colorful plastic ribbons on the trees (a different color for each size) which will indicate which trees will be cut for our retail lots for the year. Often a whole field is not ready for sale in any one year. It routinely takes two to four years before a field is cleared and ready for new trees to be planted.

In late November we begin harvesting trees on our farm. Each of the tagged trees are cut down with a powerful chain saw and then the bottom branches are removed to make a clean trunk, or handle, on the tree that is easily put into a tree stand. The trees are dragged to the edge of the roadway so they can be easily put on the baler. The baler is a machine that bundles each tree up and wraps it in twine to make it compact for shipping.

"Baling the Trees"

Baling also helps protect the trees delicate branches from injury during the packing process on the truck and the transport to Florida. Hart-T-Trees are usually shipped within 1 or 2 days of being cut. Because we grow our own trees for our retail locations, we are able to cut and ship as the business demands. We do not have to keep trees in stockpiles for weeks on end before shipping.