There's a Science to Growing Christmas Trees

With North Carolina now the second largest source of Christmas trees inthe US, NC State has ramped up its research of the holiday mainstay. Infact, the school has the first training school in the nation forcommercial Christmas tree pest scouts, people who, for a fee, regularlyinspect tree fields for insects, weeds, diseases, and other things thatthreaten the quality of the trees.

"Cotton soybeans and corn have been using the pest scouts for years,"explains tree expert Craig McKinley. "We're beginning to modify theirtechniques."

The researchers have also kept a close eye on efforts to breed WesternNorth Carolina's famous Fraser Fir trees north of the Mason Dixon line.

"We've seen some differences in color," McKinley continues, "which mayeventually lead to a different type of a needle, say a shorter needle, aless growth, less dense tree."

Tree grower Fred Barick says there are a lot details involved in selectingnot just the sources of the stock, but working with it over a period ofseven years to develop trees that are superior to those being grown now.

And another thing that the researchers are working on is developing out acedar Christmas tree that's not so prickly to the touch. You can expectto see those trees for sale in about five years.

Each year North Carolina growers sell between 5.5 and six million Christmas trees. Most tree farms are in Western North Carolina, but thereare some in the central part of the state as well.