Growing Christmas Trees

Growing beautiful Christmas trees is a great way to generate off-season farm income and make better use of your land. From selecting a site and planting the right species to marketing and selling trees, this Storey BASICS® guide shows you how to build and maintain your own small tree nursery. Including handy tips for making handcrafted kissing balls and holiday wreaths, “Growing Christmas Trees” covers everything you need to know to successfully cultivate stunning evergreens that will provide income and bring holiday cheer. A handy primer for growers raising Christmas trees for profit, this guide covers everything from choosing the best pine, fir, and spruce to planting, growing, shearing, pruning, harvesting, and selling.

Grow beautiful Christmas trees sustainably on your small farm or in your backyard. As income supplement or outdoor hobby, the tradition of Christmas tree farming is both satisfying and practical and can make good use of fallow land. Grower Patrick White has built on and updated these techniques, pioneered by nurseryman and author Lewis Hill, to guide the modern grower every step of the way, from site selection to planting tips to sales strategies.
Introduction: A Time-Honored Tradition

Chapter One: Getting Started

Chapter Two: Enter the Trees

Chapter Three: Planting and Growing

Chapter Four: Shearing and Pruning

Chapter Five: When Things Go Wrong

Chapter Six: Sales Strategies

Chapter Seven: Time to Harvest

Chapter Eight: Wreaths and Greens

Conclusion

Caring for a Real Christmas Tree

A Christmas Tree Grower's Calendar

Glossary

Index