How our Christmas Trees are grown
Christmas trees grow, on average, a foot a year. That means the most common tree sold, 6.5 foot, could have been growing for 5 - 10 years depending on the variety!
We plant several different varieties of tree. Most popular is the beautiful Douglas fir. Aromatic and long lasting, it is native to the north west and grows fast and strong. Other trees grow slower and are more delicate like the gorgeous Blue Spruce. Sequoias grow voraciously and are on of our best candidates for coppicing (allowing a new tree to grow from a cut trees stump).
Each year we plant between 500 and 1200 baby trees. Shipped to us as plugs, some trees barely 8 inches tall, we hand plant them all in winter while they are still dormant. Its backbreaking work and always sad to lose some to moles, stress or being accidentally weed whacked!
Christmas trees don't naturally grow into a lovely cone shape! Each year they grow new leaders and sometimes they find themselves in dire need of a haircut!