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North Carolina Fraser Fir Production Schedule
January – March

Prepared by Jill Sidebottom and Jeff Owen, NCCES

Note: This calendar is meant as a guide to help you plan your production and marketing practices. Times for scouting, pesticide applications, shearing and planting will vary depending on the season and your location. Not every grower will need to do all of these production and marketing practices. A lot depends on the size of your trees and your choice of ground cover and fertility management. For more information about any of these practices, contact your county extension agent.

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

Pest Control: Continue scouting for balsam woolly adelgid. If found, treat before bud break the following year. Horticultural oil and Lorsban can now be used to treat trees for balsam woolly adelgid. These materials can be used until the end of February. Using Lindane, Asana or other synthetic pyrethroids now will create fewer problems with spider mites as predators are no longer active. If trees with severe BWA infestations were not removed during harvest, cut and burn them now when BWA will not be spread by dragging them through the field. If spring is warm, it may be necessary to begin scouting for hemlock rust mites. See control information listed for March.

Deer Management: Deer are most likely to feed on young Christmas trees when other browse is snow-covered. Both fencing and repellents are effective control strategies if properly maintained. If you are relying on repellents for control, re-treatment will be necessary in January or February for most products. Re-treat early rather than stretching repellent control intervals to their limit. Remember to inspect and repair fencing regularly.

Shearing: Shear unsold market trees. Winter and early spring can be a good time of year to prune out problems on sheared trees as well. In Dr. Hinesley's timing research, trees responded better to shearing and pruning in March than they did in autumn although summer shearing still yielded the best growth response.

MARCH

Pest Control: Scout for hemlock rust mites. Pay particular attention to trees to be harvested, or trees receiving a treatment with a synthetic pyrethroid (Asana, Astro, Talstar) within the last year. If rust mites are found but are below the treatment threshold, be sure to plan time for revisiting the field to determine if mite numbers are continuing to increase. Even if mite numbers are not over the treatment threshold, you might consider changing your choice of materials for twig aphid controls to a foliar spray that includes either dimethoate or horticultural oil. Treating for balsam woolly adelgid from now until budbreak may also control balsam twig aphids. Be sure to scout for twig aphids before using Di-Syston.

Ground Cover Management: On recently cleared land with bare soil, consider sowing a beneficial ground cover such as Dutch white clover or a fine fescue mixed with spring oats or rye. A nurse crop of oats or rye inhibits germination of many weeds including pokeweed while allowing the slower growing groundcovers to become established. Consider using glyphosate alone to band tree rows where broadcast chemical mowing will be used during the growing season to reinforce weed control around the trees. Calibrate sprayers to the application speed and conditions at the time of treatment.

Fertility: Make spring applications of fertilizers based on soil and plant tissue samples. Heavy spring applications of nitrogen are less effective than split spring and fall or just fall applications. Avoid top dressing lime and phosphorus fertilizers at the same time. Train and supervise your workers to spread fertilizer and lime as uniformly as possible to minimize salt injury to tree roots. Take additional soil and tissue samples for any fields or problem areas that might benefit from micronutrient applications during shoot elongation later in early summer.

The use of brand names and any mention of commercial products or services in this publication do not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact an agent of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in your county.

Prepared by Jill Sidebottom and Jeff Owen
Area Christmas Tree Specialists
NCSU College of Natural Resources
NC Cooperative Extension Service

Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center
455 Research Drive
Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: 828.684.3562 ~ Fax: 828.684.8715
Email: jill_sidebottom@ncsu.edu
Email: jeff_owen@ncsu.edu

NC State University and NC Cooperative Extension Christmas Tree Website
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/Christmastrees/

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Web Crafter: Anne S. Napier and Jill R. Sidebottom
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Updated November 21, 2008