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Questions About Trees
Do you grow Fraser Firs on your farm?
Short Answer: No, we do not - but we really wish we could!
Fraser Firs - often referred to as the 'Cadillac of Christmas Trees' - is a stunning evergreen and has been in ever increasing demand in our area over the years. It's a tree that many tree farmers around here would love to cultivate, including us.
The problem is that Fraser Firs naturally grow at around 4,653 ft above sea-level and as low as 2,300 ft if planted on a north-facing slope.
O'Neal's Christmas Tree Farm in Amelia, however, only reaches about 357 ft above sea-level. Not only that, but the soil climate and microbiology is very different from the Appalachian range - too foreign for Fraser Firs to grow successfully.
Why can’t you cut the Norway Spruce until the second week of December?
Short Answer: Because the tree will turn brown and all the needles will fall off before Christmas if we did.
The Norway Spruce is regarded as one of the most beautiful evergreens used for a Christmas tree. Short-needles that aren’t too prickly, a deep verdant green coloration, and a picturesque growing habit...it’s not hard to see the appeal. Unfortunately, it also has the shortest ‘shelf-life’ out of all the trees we grow and sell. When we first started our farm, the U.S. Forestry Service recommended to all Christmas tree farms that the Norway Spruce not be cut down until after December 12th. This was decided not only to protect tree farm customers from staring at a brown, naked tree in their living rooms right before Christmas when it was too late to get a new tree - but also to protect their homes. Hot lights and a dry tree next to the curtains was (and still is) a recipe for a house fire.
Times have changed, but the Norway Spruce has not - it will still turn brown and shed its needles en masse roughly 2 weeks after it was cut. And - if put in a ‘worst case scenario’ - it can still be a starting point for a house fire.
We’re here to offer you the best experience with a live-cut Christmas tree as possible, so in good faith, we cannot cut the Norway Spruce until after December 12th. We want you to have a happy and safe Christmas.
But - like all of our trees - you are welcome to have us tag a Norway Spruce for you and keep it reserved for your family until the second week of December.
How long does it take to grow a Christmas tree?
Short Answer: It varies by tree species and yearly growing conditions, but it usually takes between 7-12 years.
Just like every individual, every tree grows at its own pace, but trees generally follow the norms of its species. Scotch pines grow faster than a blue spruce, for example. The seedlings we plant are already 1-3 years old and hardened off by the nursery. Once they are in the field, the trees go through a period of shock from the transfer and must acclimate to their new home. It takes them almost a year to recover from transplanting, during which they are very vulnerable to weather, insect pests, tree diseases, and other enemies to young trees (like the lawnmower). After they recuperate, the trees grow about 8 to 12 inches per year if they receive adequate rainfall.
So, if you’re looking to buy a 7 foot Christmas tree, you’re looking at roughly a decade’s worth of growth by the tree and protection from Christmas tree ‘Grinches’ from us at O’Neal’s
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