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This factsheet covers the growth, planting, shaping and pests of Leyland cypress, a popular Christmas tree variety.
Phytophthora root rot is the most significant biotic threat to Fraser fir Christmas trees in western North Carolina. This publication covers the symptoms of the Phytophthora root rot, how to avoid an infection, and how to treat it if Phytophthora root rot develops.
This publication offers a discussion on how to lime Fraser fir Christmas trees. Fraser fir Christmas trees require a lower soil pH than most crops grown in North Carolina. Special management strategies for soil pH, calcium, and magnesium are needed to provide proper nutrition without over-liming.
This factsheet provides a brief summary of the various trees often grown in North Carolina for Christmas tree production.
This publication covers a full range of site factors that can help growers avoid Phytophthroa root rot disease and other production issues. Readers will better understand the influence of topography and landscape positon on the movement of soil water in their fields. Activities and tools that can help a grower assess a new site are dicussed.
One of the more enjoyable Christmas traditions is to replant a living Christmas tree into your landscape after the holiday season. This article describes the process of successfully selecting, caring for and replanting a living Christmas tree.
This publication describes the lifecycle, scouting and treatment of the balsam wooly adelgid, a tiny, soft-bodied insect, which appears when adult as a white, woolly spot on true firs. Author: Jill Sidebottom Update: Jamie Bookwalter
This factsheet provides general guidelines for obtaining soil samples in Christmas tree fields, a summary of soil test result categories, and information for evaluating those results to develop an efficient Christmas tree fertilization program.
This factsheet describes the symptoms, life cycles and control of needle cast diseases in Christmas trees.
This publication identifies best management practices (BMP's) that protect water quality and the environment on Christmas tree farms in North Carolina. Profitable Christmas tree production can go hand-in-hand with sustainable goals that protect land and water resources. Several water quality BMP's described here also have the potential to slow the spread of Phytophthora root rot, a dire soil-borne disease that threatens Christmas tree production. BMP's are identified for road construction, stream buffers, site preparation, scouting-based pesticide decisions, selecting least-toxic pesticides, weed and ground cover management, fertilizer management, pesticide handling and storage, and well head protection. Growers who invest in BMP’s usually show a greater long-term profit because their land is maintained at higher productivity. With a multiple choice question for each BMP, readers can evaluate their level of compliance with each practice.
This factsheet covers how and when to shape, prune and shear Virginia pine Christmas trees.
This factsheet about Fraser fir pests covers white pine cone beetles, bagworms, gypsy moths, Botrytis shoot blight, sooty molds, fern/fir rust, Rhizosphaera needlecast, Annosum root and butt rot, Rosellinia blight, Nectria canker, Armillaria, and Phomopsis.
This publication describes the symptoms, life cycle and control of the elongate hemlock scale, a pest that causes white, waxy spots on the upper surface of Christmas tree needles.
This factsheet provides information about control strategies for dealing with common ragweed, particularly for Fraser fir production operations.
This publication describes the life cycle and control of the hemlock rust mite, which causes needles to turn a dusty rust color and drop from several species of Christmas trees.
This publication covers the identification, life cycles and treatment of several species of insects, such as May and June beetle grubs and root aphids, that feed on and affect root growth of Fraser fir Christmas trees.
This publication describes scouting for and controlling the spruce spider mite, an insect that causes yellow spots on needles of Fraser firs.
This publication describes the life cycle, scouting and treatment of the balsam twig aphid, a small, pale green aphid that feeds on fir trees in the spring.
This publication discusses ergonomic practices that can be implemented during Christmas tree harvests to reduce and avoid typical injuries.
Nutrient analysis of soil and plant tissue should be an integral part of any tree crop management plan. While this publication was designed for Christmas tree growers, the principles outlined here may be easily applied to other tree crops.
This factsheet describes the life cycle and control of the pine tortoise scale, insects which accelerate the development of an unsightly black fungus on Christmas trees.
This factsheet covers selecting the right Christmas tree for your needs, as well as caring for your tree after purchase.
This publication describes the control of the rosette bud mite, a mite that destroys the buds of Fraser firs resulting in holes in the canopy, flat sides, weak bottoms and uneven and/or light density.
This factsheet provides general instructions for determining formulation per acre as well as an example using Tristar.
