If you have acres that aren't very good for growing traditional
agricultural crops, why not consider Christmas trees to get some
return from that land?
As with any new venture, the amount of planning you do before you
start growing Christmas trees determines how successful you'll be. A
Minnesota Extension Service bulletin, "Growing Christmas Trees: A
Guide for Minnesota and the North Central States," can help you
decide whether you want to get into the business.
The 28-page bulletin focuses on the business side of growing
Christmas trees. It also explains consumer standards for trees,
shows current growing techniques related to equipment and safety
gear, and suggests when growers should seek professional advice.
"If you want to learn management techniques that ensure more of
your trees will survive to maturity and that more of your trees will
meet the aesthetic standards of consumers," says Carl Vogt, "then
you'll want to buy this book." Vogt, one of the bulletin's authors,
is a part-time instructor in the university's Department of Forest
Resources as well as a commercial Christmas tree grower. The other
authors are Alvin Alm, professor emeritus in the Department of Forest
Resources, and Carl Wegner, an extension educator in Grand Rapids,
Minn.
The publication features information on selecting and preparing a
planting site, planting the trees, protecting the plantation, and
harvesting the trees correctly. It also includes sections on the
economics of growing trees and species identification.
To order "Growing Christmas Trees...," send a check or money
payable to the University of Minnesota, for $5 (MN residents include
6.5 percent sales tax; St. Paul residents, 7 percent) to MES
Distribution Center, University of Minnesota, 1420 Eckles Ave., St.
Paul, MN 55108-6069. Request item BU-2022-EM1. Call (612) 625-8173
to charge your purchase to Mastercard, Discover or VISA.