SUNCREST EVERGREEN NURSERIES 7 
Growing Christmas Trees 
Planting Guide Information 
Christmas tree growing started in a small way more 
than 380 years ago on farms in Pennsylvania and 
two or three cther northeastern -states. This enter- 
prise has grown to a full size industry. Prior to the 
growing of Christmas trees, the vast requirements 
were imported mostly from Canada. In addition, wild 
native woods-grown Pine, Spruce, Fir and Red Cedar 
were used in small towns and cities. These native 
trees were cut from farm land which had been re- 
seeded from bordering forests. 
The demand in Pennsylvania is estimated to be more 
than 2 million annually and increasing. 
The grower who will produce a good grade will al- 
ways find a ready market, There will come a time 
when poor grade trees will be difficult to sell. The 
estimated stock still being imported and domestic 
trees being shipped from the Pacific northwest and 
New England (wild woods-grown) is more than 50°. 
The growers can get a greater percentage of this 
business when they grow and grade better trees. 
This will reduce the imports from Canada and the 
domestic shipment of poorer grade woods grown wild 
trees. The wild grown trees are becoming move diffi- 
cult to locate, and too, the cost of stumpagre, labor 
and increasing freight rates, long distance to mar- 
kets, make wild woods grown stock more difficult 
to sell each year. 
KINDS 70 PLANT 
Scoteh pine is in mo-t det.and by the large eastern 
markets, with perhaps Ked pine being the second 
choice in some cities, followed by Austrian pine, 
White pine, Fir and Spruce. To growers who are 
interested in diversified planting. we would recom- 
mend approximately the following: Scotch pine 50% 
Red pine 10%, Austrian pine 10%, White pine 10%, 
Fir 10% and Spruce 10%. 
SIZES 
We recommend 2 year seedlings on Scotch pine, 
3 year old seedlings on the other varieties of pine, 
3 year seedlings or transplants on varieties of Spruce 
and Fir as the most satisfactory planting stock sizes 
from our experience, both hand and machine planting. 
WHEN TO PLANT 
We have learned from our own plantings over the 
years that Early Spring is the best time to plant, 
starting just as soon as possible after the frost 
leaves the ground, usually the latter part of March 
or early April continuing as iong as ground and 
weather conditions permit. Fall planting may be 
satisfactory in well drained sandy soil. We do not 
recommend clay soil if not well drained, as the re- 
action of freezing and thawing will cause heaving 
and much lcss on fall planting. September 15 to 
October 15 is usually the best time as the ground 1s 
tempered and has more moisture. 
