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Drought Shouldn't Needle Buyers Of Christmas Trees

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By NANCY O'DONNELL Albany (N.Y.) Times Union

Published: December 3, 2007

Are you one of the nearly 29 million families in the United States expected to celebrate Christmas with a fresh-cut tree this year?

If so, you might be interested in knowing what's up in the Christmas tree industry.

The drought that is plaguing the Southeast and its possible impact on this year's crop of trees has been all over the news. For starters, it's important to keep in mind that every state commercially grows Christmas trees, so there are plenty of trees being grown nationwide in states unaffected by the drought.

What effects can a drought or an extended dry period have on our beloved Tannenbaum? Christmas trees, like all plants, utilize water to carry out photosynthesis, which in turn provides food for growth.

A lack of water for an extended period of time will eventually impact the tree's growth process. In a year when water and ultimately food is scarce, an evergreen's growth is slowed.

When drought continues for consecutive years, an actual halt in growth is a sure bet because the tree's first goal is to carry out daily biological functions that will allow it to survive - new branches are not a necessity.

An evergreen receiving proper amounts of water, food and sunlight typically grows 12 to 18 inches per year. These same trees when dealing with drought may only grow half that size or not at all.

However, there is a bright side. We need to remember it takes a Christmas tree seven to 14 years to mature to salable size, and last year alone an estimated 70 million seedlings were planted on Christmas tree farms throughout the country. Tree growers plant huge quantities of seedling trees annually to ensure an ongoing crop of mature trees, which means all those trees planted back in the late 1990s are ready to harvest.

Another concern growers face in dry years is newly planted seedlings aren't able to receive adequate water in their first few years of life. It's estimated that Christmas tree farms in the Southern states affected by the drought, particularly North Carolina (which ranks second nationwide in tree production) have lost 50 percent or more of their seedlings, and those that survive will lag behind in their growth potential.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the impact may actually not be felt for seven to 14 years, when these seedlings would be expected to mature.

There is one minor effect consumers may notice this year: the color of their tree. If you take a look at a houseplant whose soil has dried out, you'll notice the green color of its leaves is dull and faded. This holds true for evergreens as well.

What to do? As long as the needles are secure (pull your hand over the branch, then check your palm), the tree will do very nicely in the tree stand. Remember, always give it a fresh cut (a half-inch is sufficient) before placing it in a bucket of water to hold until you're ready to put it up.

Make another fresh cut before putting it in the stand, and give it plenty of clean, fresh water (no additives such as aspirin or fertilizer are necessary). The tree will "drink" up the bounty and most likely green itself up as a thank-you.

Other news: The "Charlie Brown" tree is making a comeback! Folks are beginning to appreciate the more natural growth habit of open branches. It'll take a number of years for the industry to switch over, especially since there is that seven- to 14-year growth window and not all trees will be au natural, but it is the growing trend ... no pun intended.

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