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North Carolina Fraser Fir Production Schedule
April - June

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.

APRIL

Pest Control: Trees can be treated for most major pests including balsam woolly adelgid, balsam twig aphid and spruce spider mites. If trees need to be treated for balsam woolly adelgid, be sure to do it before they break bud. Recommendations are to treat for to treat trees for twig aphids the year of sale and the year before sale. If using Di-Syston 15 G, check with your county agent to determine how early it can be applied. The hemlock rust mite can also be a problem in April. Scout for rust mites, as this may change your choice of materials for twig aphid controls. If rust mites are a problem, consider switching to a foliar spray that includes either dimethoate or horticultural oil. In young trees, keep an eye out for spider mites and treat if numbers warrant it. Be sure to scout after a pesticide application to determine control.

Ground Cover Management: Determine the population and height of winter annuals and perennials just before budbreak in mid-April. Determine the need for and timing of the first chemical suppression of the season. Herbicides for chemical mowing are best applied when weeds are between 6-12 inches in height. Beware of Simazine and killing rates of Roundup damaging trees close to budbreak.

Fertility: Continue 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.

MAY

Pest Control: Finish treating for balsam twig aphid before bud break. If trees are treated for BTA then scout to determine if BTA were controlled. If trees were not treated for BTA, observe twig aphid damage. Also assess for HRM whether it was treated for or not. Make spring Subdue treatments in seedling and transplant beds.

Ground Cover Management: Assess effectiveness of first weed suppression treatment or if a treatment was not made, check the height of established groundcover to determine if a weed suppression treatment is now necessary. Take note of early emerging summer annuals.

JUNE

Pest Control: Make a thorough spruce spider mite survey. Treat trees for rosette bud mites where necessary. Apply Dimethoate when the new growth is out 4 to 6 inches. Do not mow in areas were grubs are a problem.

Ground Cover Management: In areas where weeds were suppressed chemically, watch for weed regrowth to time second herbicide application. Beware of summer weeds such as ragweeds, pigweed, vetch and fieldblind weed growing through cool season annuals. Second application is necessary when weeds green back up and start to grow taller than desired. Post-emergent herbicides work best when weeds are from 4-8 inches up to 18 inches tall. Undirected Round-Up can still harm Fraser fir foliage. (Continue through July).

Fertility: Secondary and micronutrient applications based on spring soil and plant tissue analysis can be made.

Shearing: Remove double tops and trim. Do not trim terminal until there is 80% or more of terminal growth.

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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Updated November 21, 2008