The most important thing to remember is that you should not prune back further than the current years growth as new growth will not emerge from old wood. As another alternative, rolls of black polypropylene weed barrier fabric, which lets air and water penetrate but keeps weed growth down, can be used after trees are planted. The maximum working heights vary from 4.65 to 6.50 metres. If you have to cut into second year wood, bud formation will not be so vigorous, but if only a few branches are involved, the tree should recover eventually. ( ( ( This year we paid $100 for a month of insurance. 2023 Thompson & Morgan. ( ( ( Properly pruning a tree limb. You can generate some added income by managing balsam firs (and other evergreens) for tip production for wreaths. ( At $15 per tree, we made two or three hundred dollars each of the first two years of sales, and $705 this past year. ( The following list describes some of the other species that are grown as Christmas trees. Beyond the six to eight year commitment it takes to produce a usable-sized tree, properly shaping Christmas tree prospects will produce trees worthy of displaying in your home. 2 tree. If you cut the tree down by hand, make sure you cut it at an angle. ( If youre working with a pine tree, you dont want to risk snapping the needles as you go. ( by wpx_cairns | Sep 19, 2022 | Tree Prunning. 3. emphasis when pruning young trees. As the mulch decomposes, more can be added. ( Pruning and shearing produce the symmetrical, high-density, cone-shaped characteristics of a quality Christmas tree. Even though we are a new Christmas tree farm, we promise you will be surprised at the beauty of our trees. I spend about 60 hours in late June, July and early August pruning the 2500 trees in our 3-acre field. Nordmann Firs are a popular Christmas tree choice Another good use is fuel for a backyard bonfire. Tree shaping usually begins during the trees third year. To prepare for planting, my husband mowed the field and turned over a 1-foot-diameter circle of sod at each perspective planting site in early summer just after bug season; he stomped the inverted section of sod back into place and let the sod rot until the following spring. ( fir Christmas trees are sold without basal prun- ing because retailers and consumers use the lower branches to make boughs, roping, or wreaths. ( 2.7K views, 44 likes, 0 loves, 4 comments, 6 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Allagash View Farms, LLC: Basal prunning Christmas trees On spruce and fir it is not as essential to shear all lateral branches as they have a more desirable and natural growth. of Maine Coop. Christmas trees shearing, basal pruning, mowing and other maintenance expenses are currently deductible business expenses Expenses are subject to passive loss rules Producers of Christmas trees fewer than 6 years of age, when cut, are subject to the uniform capitalization rules . ( ( Shearing during extremely cold periods in winter should be avoided because of twig dieback on the cut branch. ( ( First, remove any broken or dead branches. ( ( Russell Libby Agricultural Scholar Awards. This usually occurs from mid-June to mid-July. Lilley, William D. and Vivian J. Holmes, Growing a Continuous Supply of Balsam Fir Wreath Brush, Christmas Wreath Notes #4, Bull. ( ( Pruning is one of the most important cultural practices for maintaining woody plants, including ornamental trees and shrubs, fruits and nuts. ( above a healthy bud. Commercial height and stem diameter were unaffected, but the average harvest weight of pruned trees 2.1 to 2.4 m tall (2 to 4 years after basal pruning) was reduced approximately 1.4 kg, [HortScience : a publication of the American Society for Horticultural Science (USA)], "Basal pruning Fraser fir Christmas trees"@eng. Most growers in our area spray Scotch pines for weevils, which can ruin central leaders. She tells of one grower who estimated that her livestock damaged about 2% of her trees each year (or 20% over the average 10-year life of the trees). It fits well with raising children in that you can, more so than with vegetables or fresh fruits, let some jobs go while the children need or want you, then catch up on the chores later. Tree Care. It will be much easier on your heart and less sticky on your hands. ( The first two are generalist predators on aphids, spider mites, etc., and the last are aphid predators. Year harvestedY 1995 1995 1993 1993 1993 1994; of 3 /3. This can lead to damaging the natural defences of the tree and could result in infection. By now these trees will be becoming home to various insects, hopefully our beneficial insects like lady birds will be keeping the pest populations to a minimum. You should not see an excessive amount of green needles fall to . Likewise, establishing a leguminous crop before planting the trees and then mowing or grazing that crop after the trees are planted would probably fix and cycle enough nitrogen to feed the Christmas trees. ( Could we work up a short list of conifer candidates that are native to Oregon? Once trees are cut, they should be stored in a cool, shaded area that is protected from the wind. Other spacings that are recommended are 56 (1410 trees per acre), 66 (1210 trees per acre), 67 and 68. Demonstrated: basal pruning on Meyer Spruce . VisPore Tree Mats, likewise, are 3x3 weed barriers that are permeable to water and oxygen. One day last winter, my daughter traveled from the top of one tree to another and another, traversing 11 trees without stepping on the ground. ( ( Take one of its unopened fruit and put it in a dry paper bag. Pruning a Christmas tree is a simple process once you get the hang of it. How to Cut Large Branches. ( (1#%(:3=<9387@H\N@DWE78PmQW_bghg>Mqypdx\egc//cB8Bcccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc The budgeted annual costs for the Christmas tree farm are shown in Table 3 on a per acre basis. According to ATTRA, rotary hoes are an effective cultivation tool for in-row weed control and soil cultivation. Basal pruning reduced cutting time 25%, and baling time 10%. ( (606)257-7610. Grasses and other plants have well developed root systems that can compete strongly with small trees, especially during the first three years in the plantation, by using most of the available soil moisture, competing for nutrients, and shading Christmas tree seedlings. ( Christmas Trees | Watts Tree Farm Blog The total cost of producing an acre of Christmas trees, including all the costs of establishing and growing costs over the 7-year planning horizon, is $6720.87. What is the best time to prune a Christmas tree? We planted the last of the first on May 6, a date I remember because on the next day, May 7, our daughter was born. ( When trees are harvested, we replant in those spots the following spring. Growing Christmas trees is an enterprise that has wide appeal as a land management alternative for many land-owners in Virginia. He keeps the grass down by mowing with a riding lawn mower. On a lopsided tree, for instance, the longest laterals on one side of the tree can be reigned in so that the tree is more symmetrical. With that in mind, cut limbs inch above a bud that faces the outside of the plant. They hung wafers on it (symbolizing the eucharistic host, the Christian . So now our 500-tree Scotch pine plantation is a bird sanctuary, picnic area, and tree-climbing area. Basal Pruning Christmas Trees. Basal pruning reduced cutting time to (average of 23%). ( 7009, Univ. ( ( We planted 1 acre that first year, another the second and a third the third year. ( ( Extn., Orono, ME 04469. Pruning and shearing produce the symmetrical, high-density, cone-shaped characteristics of a quality Christmas tree. ( Assuming youll be mowing the grass in your plantation with a tractor-mounted implement, be sure to leave enough room at the ends of each row to turn the tractor around. ( ( } Alternatively, you can push the transplant much deeper into a hole than the desired planting depth, then pull it back up so that it is set at or slightly deeper than the root collar. At this point, I would recommend setting the trees 5 to 6 feet apart within rows and setting the rows 7 feet apart. ( These should be cut so they are not longer than the leader. ( Basal Pruning Fraser Fir Christmas TreesTable 1. ( ( ( (&F+1-j 0 download. What to Prune. ( Sow a cover crop and let it become established prior to planting any trees. ( Equipment and Techniques are demonstrated for best management of Christmas trees in Kentucky. ( The species you intend to plant makes a difference, too. Prune to promote plant health Remove dead or dying branches injured by disease, severe insect infestation, animals, storms, or other adverse mechanical damage. Dont plant in gullies, ditches or other low-lying spots that are susceptible to frost. ( Article. In essence, shearing the tree is accomplished by visualizing an imaginary cone over the tree and cutting off all the branches that stick out beyond the cone. Still others recommend applying bands of herbicide where the trees are to be planted and mowing the grass in between. It was written for orchardists, but some of the information relates to Christmas trees, as well: Purchase and release of predatory mites can be useful to establish populations in large plantings or orchards, but the best results are obtained by creating favorable conditions for naturally occurring predators for instance, by avoiding dusty conditions and pesticide sprays. Basal pruning consists of removing all the branches from the ground up to a full whorl or set of branches. Z ((h(h(h 218 views, 6 likes, 1 loves, 2 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Newsholme Christmas Trees: This last few weeks has seen us finish off tidying up the basal pruning after we had a basal. Z (( As the shoot elongates or grows, new needles will emerge along its length. ( The Virginia pine is one such tree, which is the preferred tree of Fred Raley. Soon I hope to be selling 200 trees per year a sustainable number for our 3-acre plantation and making $3000 a welcome addition to our income at Christmas time. Kevlar gloves are also worn by some workers. v@@@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ PP@@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ PH.L{ % P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ Pu5, P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ PP@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ %4S[-;m3z`u @ - P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ % g5 ( ( ( Four types of pruning cuts are made: basal pruning; central leader pruning; lateral branch pruning; and corrective . Z J Z (( It is also important to cut off any dead or damaged branches. ( ((h Pruning in the winter, however, can leave a big wound that can be damaged by frost or infection. (This is best done with hand clippers.) ( The needles of this tree are very sharp they are awful to prune and the tree doesnt have the fragrance of balsam. On pines, all terminal shoots on each lateral branch must be clipped to stimulate additional bud development. In this episode, Jacob Putney and Chal Landgren discuss the history and science behind growing Christmas trees in Oregon. If you are thinking of growing Christmas trees, Id suggest starting small that is, planting 10 acres or less, 2 acres each year for five years. ( Four types of pruning cuts are made: basal pruning; central leader pruning; lateral branch pruning; and corrective pruning. You can run ads in newspapers using a photo of your family with the trees is a good eye-catcher on the radio or on signs or posters; send post cards or other direct mail; and/or be included in a state list of producers. Tractor- drawn planting machines make the work go faster. ( ( To do this, picture a cone around the tree and cut any branches that extend outside of the cone. ( ( (Wear the chap on your left leg if youre left handed.) ( ( ( (( ( ( ( Episode 28: Christmas Trees. ( ( ( Pruning a Christmas tree requires some special care. Here is a list of Florida Christmas tree growers who are members of the Florida Christmas Tree Association. ( Damage assessments after the historic heat wave of June 2021 in Oregon provided lessons for the state's Christmas tree growers. ( ( The modern Christmas tree, though, originated in western Germany.The main prop of a popular medieval play about Adam and Eve was a " paradise tree," a fir tree hung with apples, that represented the Garden of Eden.The Germans set up a paradise tree in their homes on December 24, the religious feast day of Adam and Eve. Our main problem has been with yellowing and needle cast in the fall partly a natural occurrence as second- and third-year needles are shed, but one that could be limited, I think, by better fertility, more water during August, and better control of weeds. ( Deformities in individual trees can usually be corrected by clipping and shearing, thereby improving the quality and saleability of the tree. Read more articles about Christmas Trees. Twelve years ago, my husband and I planted our first Christmas trees. These are excellent jobs for teenagers. During the last year or two of pruning, youll probably have to invest in a pole pruner to reach the top laterals and the central leader. Most growers apply fungicides a few times each summer to help reduce this needle cast, which can also be caused by some disease organisms. ( Christmas Tree Farming: Christmas Tree Cultivation, Christmas Tree Production, Christmas Tree Pests and Weeds. padding: 0; You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. This publication outlines how trees grow and the culturing practices necessary to develop the size, shape, and density of true fir, Douglas-fir, pine, and spruce Christmas trees so that they are marketable. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. ( ( ( A beautiful day for basal pruning. It has always struck me as a great inconsistency to grow a plant that symbolizes life by applying poisons to that crop. Over that time, you must invest an increasing amount of time and money in your trees. The seeds will have wings on them. ( When purchased online. $299.99 reg $414.99. It removes upward-growing branches and wayward shoots. They are available from Treessentials Co., Riverview Station, P.O. Basal pruning reduced baling time 7% to 17% (average of 13%). Extn., Orono, ME 04469. A real Christmas tree has many benefits for you and your family. ( Leaving open wounds from pruning can expose the tree to frost and diseases. The following year about 30 trees were ready, so we sent a few more postcards. }5d3D P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ % P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ PP@ P@@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ @ P@ P@ P@ PP@ @@ P@ PP@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ PP@@ PP@ PP@ PP@ P@ P@ P@@ @ - % P@@ % P@ - PP@ PP@ P@ P@ P@ P@ V RY+Q - P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ @@ P@ P@ PP@ P@ P@ P@ P@ PP@ P@ P@ @@ P@ PP@ PP@ - P@ P@ P@ % PP@ PPP@@ P@ % P@ P@ P@ - P@ P@ P@ PPPP@ @ P@ P@ P@ P@@ @ P@ PPP@ - % P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ P@ ^Q:gIZZ ( Basal pruning had no effect on height. J Z ( Not only does cutting your own tree save money, but it creates a tradition for the entire family. Z ( These roadways should be 12 feet wide to begin with, because by the time the trees grow in, that distance will be reduced to 7 or 8 feet. Basal pruning reduced cutting time approximately 25%, and baling time approximately 10%. Be sure that the roots are well distributed when the trees are set in the ground, because they will tend to remain in their initial position for several years. Jack DeAngelis, Oregon State University Extension Entomologist, says, Stick with generalist insect predators they have the best chance of finding something to eat in the fields and start small. He recommends green lacewings, syrphid flies, and the predatory midge Aphidoletes. (h( ( Anon., Making Wreaths for Profit, Yankee Woodlot Bull. Z ( Oil orchard roads or water pathways at regular intervals. ( As the trees got older, however, they outcompeted the weeds. ( ( ( ( Bissell, Lewis, Planting Balsam Fir for Christmas Trees, Forestry Notes, Feb. 1974, Univ. ( ( zop~^UQ@\wl5h All rights reserved. This is known as "deadheading." of Maine Coop. If security is a problem in your area, you might want to plant your trees away from the road and close to your house. You should get a soil test before planting your trees and, if the pH and phosphorus need to be adjusted, do so then. Your trees should be transplanted to the plantation in the early spring, before the buds swell and after the frost has left the ground. In gardens and on small fruit trees, regular and forceful spraying of plants with water will often reduce spider mite numbers adequately. So, if you are growing vegetables, flowers or other summer crops, you need to allow a couple of hours per day during these times for planting and pruning Christmas trees or you can contract out those jobs. He has beenworking in the Christmas tree service industry since 2005. We have established a pleasant summer routine in which I write and edit for a couple of hours in the morning, prune trees for an hour or two, then take the kids to the beach. All rights reserved. Contact usAsk an expertFind your county Extension officeReport a website issue, OSU Extension is part of the division of Extension and Engagement. Jacob Putney, Chal Landgren | By the time the trees were six or seven years old, it was difficult to get between them to prune and impossible to mow between them. Avoid shaving the bark off of a tree trunk to get it to fit into a smaller tree stand opening. Attached to the swinging arms are rotary tines or disks. The job soon becomes second nature. When pruning diseased branches, make thinning cuts into healthy wood, well below the infected area. This can be as early as 5 years of age for pines but is usually about 10 or more years for balsam firs. ( Avoid pruning plants when they are especially open to attacks by insects or diseases. ( ( ( ( This year, it was extra short. The distance between the whorls (rings of branches) determines how full the finished Christmas tree will look. Trim lightly at the end of summer if required ( This prevents one or more of the top whorl branches from taking over as a leader and forming a crooked or multiple top. ( Commercial height and stem diameter were unaffected, but the average harvest . Service, Univ. Competition is less severe during the later part of the summer. Pruning your Christmas tree is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it. ( Shown here is an effective method of corrective pruning of an Austrian pine tree. ( ( Although August planting is sometimes recommended, our summers have been so dry lately that I would not take the risk of planting then. ( Fall pruning: Take several inches off Hybrid Tea . ( Remove branches that rub together. Excessive lateral growth is pruned, and the lowest branches can be removed to create a handle. ( of Maine Coop. ( Supplemental nitrogen (about 5 pounds of poultry manure or 10 pounds of sheep manure per 100 square feet of mulch) may be needed in such a system. ( When cutting the top of an evergreen tree, for example, youll create a huge pruning wound that can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. The grower doesnt put livestock in with her trees until the trees are 5 feet tall or more. ( ( Hensley, S. Wiest and R.E. This will be the direction of the new growth. This allows the tree to heal after the cut and encourage new growth. ( The abandoned field in which we are growing trees is improving every year, because hay is no longer being taken off of it three times a year with no nutrients being added back to the soil. Remove branch stubs Avoid topping trees. Extn., Orono, ME 04469. Sod can also be removed with scalpers mounted on planting machines at the time of planting. Z ( Add the nutrients recommended by the test to the soil and incorporate them. The seedlings will need nitrogen and phosphorus (unless the soil is already well supplied with these nutrients) while they are growing. Extn., Orono, ME 04469. Usually, only the terminal twig on each lateral branch needs to be cut off in shearing. Z ( ( We set out both balsam fir and Scotch pine in our first year of planting. When pruning flowering plants, pinch off spent flower blooms before trimming. ( In the spring of the year growth begins at buds, and twigs grow until a new node is formed. ( ( ( ( ( For more advice on growing and caring for conifers, visit our conifer hub page - our dedicated resource that covers everything you need to know about planting conifers in your garden. Pruning creates a denser tree by stimulating internodal buds to sprout and grow (spruces and firs, but not pines, can produce internodal buds between the annual whorls of branches), promoting the growth of existing branches, and maintaining a desirable shape. ( It is also not advisable to prune conifers in winter, as they will not regrow any branches from the cut points. Two years of data from Kansas showed that muskmelons could be grown between rows of Scotch pines during their first two years in the field and could bring in considerable income then. Additional considerations when pruning Christmas trees Pruning is done to increase the value of plantation trees and reduce the number of unmerchantable culls. ( Home Resources Christmas Trees Growing Christmas Trees Organically. The tops should have good caliper (stem diameter) and good bud development. ( ( ( However, the development of new buds will best be stimulated if shearing is done during late June and July when new growth is beginning to firm up. ( (607)255-3245. 5 0 obj<> ( 420-075, 212 pgs. Its being maintained as an agricultural area, too, because invading woody plants are removed. ( You might consider intercropping as a means of generating income from your plantation in its early years. ( In the fall (around Thanksgiving), mulch the seedlings with straw, pine needles or fir boughs to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. Symmetry Shearing helps create a tree with a balanced form. ( Z J ( Many offer potted trees, pre-cut trees and choose-and-cut trees. Description of stands used in evaluation of basal pruning on Fraser fir Christmas trees. ( August 14, 2017. After several months, prune out all sprouts growing in response to the cut. :t When the cone scales are beginning to separate, its time to collect. This can be done even when frost is still in the soil at a depth of 6 inches or more. At the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Booneville, Arkansas, agronomist Robert D. Webster is studying alternative crops to plant in agroforestry plantations. ( It also maintains a uniform shape all over. Lots of people are very happy using machetes, though. The reduction was statistically signifi- cant in three of the four plantations. The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) says, Many growers in Cape Town, British Columbia, claim that sheep are probably the most commonly used animals for this practice, but cows and even ostriches are also effective. NCAP also says that cultivating and heat steaming machines can be used for weed control but that the startup costs and management requirements are greater for these than for other methods. On the other hand, if youre going to have the general public traipsing around your land with saws and axes, youll have the added expense of liability insurance. ( Fraser fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.] Get rid of trees that are not growing well due to poor genetics, poor soil, or insect or disease damage any time you see them. of Ag., 12/17/97, * Balsam fir $8 to $19* Fraser fir $8 to $24* White pine $10* White spruce $6 to $10, * Balsam fir $15 to $45* Douglas fir $25 to $30* Fraser fir $20 to $55* Scotch pine $10 to $30* White pine $10 to $25. Excessive leader growth which detracts from the desired symmetry of the tree can be remedied through pruning of the terminal leader or basal pruning. Please, before purchasing anywhere else, stop by and check out our specialized trees. ( If you are planning to use the tree for decorating your home, wait until it is at least six to eight feet tall. Cowscan generally be trusted to avoid [evergreens]. Fertilize trees individually the second year (by hand) by distributing about one ounce of balanced fertilizer (10-10-10, 15-15-15) in a 16-inch-diameter circle around each tree. Our range of pruning platforms is extensive. ( ( There are a few important things to remember. ( ( ( ( Judy Kowalski | ( Pruning a Christmas tree is a necessary task to maintain the shape and health of your tree. If youre not sure, try shaking the tree to see if any of the branches are dry. ( It houses one of the world's largest and most accessible agricultural information collections and serves as the nexus for a national network of state land-grant and U.S. Department of Agriculture field libraries. Pruning is important not only for appearance but also for your trees health. ( Bromsgrove 16 minutes drive Make it fun by challenging everyone to find each of the most common Christmas trees: Douglas-fir, noble fir and grand fir. endobj ( ( ( ( ( Depending on the tree's provenance and growth, start pruning in the 4th-5th growing year. ( ( ( One of the most popular Christmas trees of all time, the balsam fir is known for its beautiful fragrance, teardrop shape, and semi-flat needles. Also, if youre adding nitrogen, you want to be sure you supply (or your soil supplies) enough potassium to enable the plant to use that nitrogen. ( Southern slopes tend to have less moisture in the soil, and trees start growing sooner in the spring on them; that new growth is susceptible to late spring frosts, which can kill the growing tips of branches and deform the trees. ( ( Hartlebury, Worcestershire, DY11 7XA, Stourport 9 minutes drive The Green Spot, Ltd., Publishing Division, 93 Priest Rd., Nottingham, NH 03290- 6204. ( A real Christmas tree may cause allergies to some, and its dried needles are also prone to catch fire from open flames or damaged electrical lights. ( Put the collected cones in a paper bag for a week or two and keep them in a warm, dry place. If trees are volunteering in your field, you might decide to simply go along with nature and start mowing around those trees, pruning them, and removing competing woody plants. ( Christmas Tree IPM Newsletter, Plant Pathology Dept., Cornell Univ., c/o Roxy Barnum, 319 Plant Science Bldg., Ithaca, NY 14853-5908; Tel. ( Just after the seedlings emerge in the spring, expose them to 50% light by covering the bed with wood lath screening or snow fencing or by making a grid with stakes and rope about 1 foot off the ground and setting fir boughs on this grid. If you add lime, be sure other nutrients are adequate and still in balance, otherwise needles may turn yellow.) ( I cite these recommendations not to encourage you to use chemical fertilizers, but to encourage you to add any needed lime and phosphorus before planting, and to give you a guide as to when trees need which nutrients.