Research improves Christmas tree production in Connecticut
Two or three Christmas trees are planted for every one that is harvested. This implies that only 33% to 50% of planted trees survive to become salable, and this in turn translates into shortages in the availability of salable trees and higher costs for consumers. Many trees are lost when they are newly planted into growers’ fields, and many of those losses are due to damage from pests and more extreme climate conditions, including more intense drought, flooding and summer heat.
Several projects out of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station have focused on practices that improve survival and establishment of bare-root transplants on Christmas tree farms. A root dip with 640 parts per million of bifenthrin protects against injury to the root system caused by white grub feeding. Added benefits include preventing tunneling by ants next to roots and infestation by root aphids.
Acidification of soil and the addition of potassium phosphite into the root dip at planting provides short-term protection of the roots from infection by root rot organisms. The addition of a controlled-release nursery fertilizer into the soil surrounding the roots at the time of planting enhances initial color and growth of bare-root transplants.
Wood chip mulch applied to the soil surface, but not incorporated into the soil provides multiple benefits, including weed suppression, cools soil around roots, protects against drought and enriches the soil with organic matter.
Christmas tree growers are adopting the practices developed by this research. Most growers (87% of respondents) indicated whether there was increased survival of transplants. The most striking result was a grower from the Pacific Northwest who reported “Mulching probably saved 50% of my noble firs.”
Another reported “We experienced severe drought in our area. And lost over 90% of trees that I didn’t water. I will continue to put in place changes implemented this year.”
The improved survival and growth of these trees will increase the supply of Christmas trees available to be sold to the public.
Project supported by Hatch funds.
