Hello Everyone,

(Search words: Christmas trees, Leylands)

As an example of a question I often get and one that offers a similar answer each time is a question that I received recently from Gary Gray concerning a client that was thinking of growing Christmas trees. The client offered the typical scenario. She and her husband had some land, enjoyed Christmas trees and wanted to know more about starting an operation. What do I normally tell them?

Top trees grown: Leyland cypress, Arizona cypress, Virginia pine, very few cedars and white pines (in far north Alabama, only). We cannot grow firs and spruces. Growers are trying to stop growing Virginia pines because of too many disease and insect problems and due to a poor growth habit and only about 60 % harvest; most grow Leyland cypress.

Leyland - overgrown trees. We don't grow them this large for a profit.

We can't grow spruces and firs in Alabama.

Virginia pines.

One gallon leyland liners for field planting.

Choose and cut is entertainment farming.

Reality - Not trying to discourage but: More people are getting out of producing Christmas trees than entering the business although the ones that remain are hooked.

Part-time Business: Only one person I know is in the business full time. Most people are part-time and full time around Christmas which begins the weekend before Thanksgiving and goes through rain, cold and snow through Christmas. Probably more money is made on the Christmas shop, stands, flocking, roping and wreathes than on the trees. There is no wholesale; all choose-and-cut farms are classified as entertainment farming. A grower needs to plan for customer comfort, safety, and be prepared with liability insurance in case of fire ants or if twisted ankles occur.

How much land and cost: If you plant on 7 x 7 ft spacing, you get about 875 plants per acre (too many for first year sales, do half of that.) Ideally you would not plant over an acre or 1/2 acre per year until you see how you do and plan for a 4 year rotation with an area to be left fallow and build up the soil with green manure for a year or two. You need signs, parking, rides to the field, saws, night lights, pruning/shearing equipment, sprayers, mowers, you sometimes paint the trees, herbicides, pesticides, netting to cover trees, price tags, shakers, 4-wheeler or tractor and other assorted tools. The trees (leylands) cost about $2.50 to $2.75 per tree (1 gal.) so 1 acre, just for trees, is about $2400. Some people put down irrigation for the first year of establishment at about $500-$1000 per acre. You will need fertilizer, 3 to 4 sprays of pre-emergent herbicides and grass rows for easy access and appearance for you and your customers. You shear at least 2x per year, prune up trunk for “handles” or area to be cut to fit into the stands. Stake sometimes to get straight trees. Some growers are beginning to grow other trees in containers. It is a more expensive and complicated way to go but it does open the landscape market to you with other trees like Cryptomeria, Deodar cedars and Arbovitae. We have more information if you need it. We will help in any way we can. Webb Thornhill sells good trees that have not been tip pruned which removes the central leader and gives a bushy tree rather than a upright tree. So, do not just buy trees from any nursery and make sure the roots are not root bound.

Final parting note of information: It is a 3 to 4 year process from 1 gal to sales as a 5 to 8 ft tree at $5.50 to $7.00 per foot. There is limited time beyond that if they do not sell. You can sell a few that are 10 to 12 feet and the Alabama Governor always asks for 20 to 40 foot trees. We do not grow those trees; too much money and work are involved with little profit. So, at some point, you decide that is all I am going to sell out of this block of trees. I need to push them over, pull the stumps or plant in the middle where the trees were not present. Another note: Sometimes you can't fight people’s vision of what a Christmas tree is. It could be a fir or spruce and that is what they want. Many growers buy these trees from North Carolina and Tennessee and sell quality trees to satisfy their customers and they make some additional money.

Advice: It would be good to go to an annual Southern Christmas Tree Association meeting to learn from others before you invest. Most growers are very happy to share their pains and their gains. The remaining growers love what they do.

SOME SOURCES OF LEYLANDS AND OTHER TREES:
Thornhill Farm - 42 miles
Contact: Webb Thornhill
15107 AL Highway 71 Rosalie
Pisgah, AL 35765
Phone: (256) 451-3640
Fax: (256) 451-3640
Email: jthornhill@farmerstel.com
Directions: Rosalie Community, Jackson County on Main Street, Highway 71, 15,107. Thornhill Farm sign at edge of driveway.

Becks Sod (Wildlife Nursery Farm) outside of Auburn also produces some Leylands in one gallon containers.
The Wildlife Group
2858 County Road 53
Tuskegee, AL 36083
wildlifegroup@mindspring.com
1-800-221-9703
334-724-9300 FAX

Ralph Rushing, Rushing Nursery in Semmes offers several cultivars of Leyland and Arizona Cypress.
8750 Redstone Drive West
Semmes, AL 36575-6316
(251) 649-5795

Please come back often and enjoy HortShorts as much as I enjoy posting them for you. Your enthusiastic plant response is always encouraged and welcome.