Michael C. Bondi
Extension Forestry & Christmas Tree Agent for
OSU in Clackamas and Multnomah counties.
Oregon State University Extension Service, 200 Warner Milne Road,
Email: michael.bondi@orst.edu
Web site: http://osu.orst.edu/extension/clackamas/
Growing, harvesting and marketing
Christmas trees is big business in Oregon. In fact,
more Christmas trees are produced in our state than
any in the U.S. Clackamas County is one of Oregon's
leading tree producing counties with approximately
2 million trees collectively harvested annually by
over 300 growers.
Clackamas County has been a favored
area for producing trees for several reasons. First,
Christmas trees are well-suited to many of the marginal
agricultural sites in the county. Second, excellent
proximity to transportation and markets is ideal for
domestic and international destinations. Third, a
long history of growing Christmas trees in the region
has resulted in a well-developed infrastructure of
technical support, services and "know-how" that is
an essential part of any healthy industry.
Why Landowners
are Attracted to Growing Christmas Trees
Christmas trees can be an attractive farm and rural
land management option for property owners. Every
individual should evaluate their own personal and
financial goals when deciding which crop to grow.
Common reasons why Christmas trees are selected follow.
Income
Potential
In general, this industry
has experienced a relatively steady upward climb in
market development since its beginnings in the mid-1950s.
As a result, growers have often enjoyed good selling
opportunities for their trees. However, market declines
and fluctuations do occur, as in all agricultural
industries. But, the trends in Christmas trees are
slightly more extended due to the longer-term rotations.
The most recent decline in markets occurred between
the late 1980s and the early 90s.
It can cost from $5 to $10 per tree
to grow the plant from establishment through harvest.
This includes typical land costs and all phases of
culturing. With current market values, annual returns
per acre range from $600 to $1000.
Property Taxes
Christmas trees are
taxed as an agricultural crop. In most Oregon counties
the crop qualifies for farm property taxation and
the 5 year income requirement. For landowners in metropolitan
areas, where rural property values are high, Christmas
trees can offer an opportunity for a substantial reduction
in taxes compared to rural residential rates.
One of the great myths about growing
Christmas trees is that you can make you a lot of
money with very little work. Most agricultural and
horticultural crops are labor intensive. Christmas
trees are no exception. However, an advantage of Christmas
trees is that the work required is distributed throughout
the year and has a relatively long time frame to accomplish
the tasks.
The primary tasks requiring considerable
time include tree planting, weed control (usually
2 or 3 years), shearing/culturing (every year starting
about age 3), marketing, harvesting, and business
management. Additional tasks can include insect or
disease control and fertilization.
Another advantage of growing Christmas
is the possibility to grow the crop with little equipmentûeven
if you plan to do much of the work yourself. A planting
shovel, backpack sprayer, shearing knife and hand
pruner may be the only requirements.
Professional and contract services
can be hired to do all of the needed work described
above. But, remember that hiring help shifts the work
load from getting your hands dirty to one of administration.
It takes considerable time and effort to find good
quality help, communicate your needs, and supervise
the work being done.
Evaluating
Your Land for Christmas Tree Production
The easiest place to begin
when judging the capability of land for Christmas
tree production is the county soil survey. These are
usually available at your local Natural Resources
and Conservation Service (NRCS, www.nrcs.usda.gov)
office or the Extension Service. Determine the most
common soil types on your property. The best soils
for Christmas tree production will be gently sloping
ones that are relatively deep (3 to 4 feet to bedrock)
and have good to excellent internal drainage. The
Jory soil type is considered the best for Christmas
tree growing. This reddish clay loam soil typically
occurs throughout the region on the foothills of the
coast and Cascade mountains. The soil is usually four
to five feet deep to bedrock.
The most important soil factor to
examine is drainage. Look for the terms "well drained"
or "moderately well drained" to describe the soils
suited for growing Christmas trees. Also, check to
see that winter water tables are no closer than 24"
from the surface.
Another land characteristic to consider
is the slope or topography of your site. Gently sloping
locations are best. Generally, slopes should not exceed
5 to 10% except for short distances. Soil erosion
risks and maneuverability for machinery are key concerns
on sites with more slope.
Finally, the rockiness of the soil
is a factor. This is often an issue at planting time
when plowing, discing and subsoiling may be done.
If machine planters are used, rockiness of the soil
is a consideration, too.
Most Common
Christmas Tree Species in the Pacific Northwest
Douglas-fir(Psuedotsuga
menziesii), Oregon's state tree, has historically
been the primary tree species grown for Christmas
trees in the Pacific Northwest. About one-half of
all trees produced annually are Douglas-fir. This
tree takes 5 to 7 years to bring it to market. Douglas-fir
is the easiest and least expensive tree for the novice
grower to produce. The tree grows quickly, has relatively
few pests, and is easily sheared. Douglas-fir typically
yields a higher percentage of marketable trees than
other species. However, this species usually has a
lower market price than other trees. Until recent
years, the majority of trees grown and harvested in
Oregon have been Douglas-fir.
Noble fir (Abies procera)
is Oregon's premier Christmas tree. It commands a
higher price than any species, up to twice the value
of Douglas-fir. Noble fir is a slower growing tree
(6 to 10 years) and much more genetically variable.
Culturing noble fir is very different from Douglas-fir,
with more top work and individual attention to the
tree's needs for shaping. As a result, the percentage
harvest yield is lower for noble fir and the cost
of production is greater. Noble fir is the most demanding
tree species requiring the best soil drainage conditions.
A root disease, currently with no control, can limit
the health and production of noble fir for Christmas
trees. The highest degree of expertise is needed to
grow noble fir. Despite this, nearly 50% of all Christmas
trees grown in Oregon are Noble fir.
Grand fir (Abies grandis)
is the third most common Christmas species in Oregon,
accounting for about 10% of the annual production.
This tree is a true fir, like noble fir, but it is
cultured or shaped like Douglas-fir. The growth rate
is between Douglas-fir and noble fir, taking about
6 to 8 years to bring a tree to market. Grand fir
has an emerald green, glossy foliage and is undoubtedly
the most fragrant tree. These factors make this tree
a choice for growers to consider. However, grand fir
is a more tender species for shipping, especially
to colder climate markets, so needle retention can
be a significant problem. Also, grand fir is highly
favored by insects, especially aphids. The market
price for grand fir is between Douglas-fir and noble
fir.
A variety of other tree species are
also grown for Christmas trees. However, collectively
these trees only make up about 3 to 5 per cent of
the state's production. Included are Nordmann
(Abies nordmannii), Turkish fir (Abies
bornmulleriana), Fraser fir (Abies fraserii),
Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), western
white pine (Pinus monticola), and Blue
spruce (Picea pungens). Choose-and-cut
growers typically offer a wider choice of tree species
than wholesale and retail producers.
Further Assistance
Information and assistance
to plan and implement your Christmas tree venture
is available from several sources. Introductory educational
materials are available from the Oregon State University
Extension Service (eesc.orst.edu).
Publications and videos cover topics like planting,
tree culturing, pest identification and control, and
marketing. In addition, the Extension Service offers
educational workshops, seminars, tours and demonstrations
of interest to Christmas tree growers. Contact your
local Extension office for information and programming
available in your area.
The Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree
Association (PNWCTA, web site: www.nwtrees.com),
based in Salem, is the industry's primary member-grower
organization. The PNWCTA includes hundreds of growers,
buyers and service providers for the industry throughout
the region. Three member meetings are held each year,
featuring trade shows, educational programming, business
sessions, and time for interaction. In addition, the
PNWCTA publishes a magazine, the Lookout, which
is probably the best Christmas tree trade publication
in the U.S.
Technical assistance is available
from a variety of service contractors and consultants.
Some work within local areas and others cover larger
regions. The Lookout is an excellent source
for names and contact information. The county offices
of the Oregon State University Extension Service can
also provide names for contractors and consultants
in their areas.
Further
Material
Growing Christmas Trees
in the Pacific Northwest; PNW 6, Oregon State University
Extension Service ($0.75)
Selecting & Buying Quality Seedlings;
EC 1196, Oregon State University Extension Service
($1.25)
Developing
Sheared Douglas-fir Christmas Trees; PNW 227,
Oregon State University Extension Service ($1.50)
Developing
High Quality True Fir Christmas Trees; PNW 226,
Oregon State University Extension Service ($1.50)
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