How to Start a Christmas Tree Farm

Christmas tree farms that allow visitors to choose their own tree before it's cut, enjoy a hayride and a cup of hot chocolate are especially popular. Operating a Christmas tree farm can be a small, seasonal business or a large full-time business. If you'd like to get started in the Christmas tree farm business, here are a few tips.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Locate an area to operate a Christmas tree farm. A large vacant field is best. The size of the field you need depends on how large of an operation you want.
2. Test the soil to see what types of trees grow best, what types of fertilizers to use and how to irrigate the field. Hire a professional to come out the to land and perform the test, or purchase a soil testing kit and do it yourself.
3. Write a business plan with your plans and goals for the Christmas tree farm. You need a business plan to bring to the bank or other lenders when asking for loans and financial assistance. Include all of the services you will be offer.
4. Contact your local government to obtain a license and make your business legal. If you sell Christmas trees without proper licensing you may have to pay steep fines.
5. Plant trees that grow well in your area. Make sure to plant trees that are popular sellers. Talk to other Christmas tree farmers in your area to know what types of trees grow best and what types are popular during the Christmas season.
6. Maintain the health of your Christmas trees throughout the year with adequate irrigation, good fertilizer and weed control. Plan in advance and implement these processes during the entire year.
7. Shear the Christmas trees in the spring and summer months. Trees growing on their own will not have the popular triangle look unless they are sheared properly. The best time to shear the trees is in the spring or summer to allow them time to grow and cover the sheared areas by the Christmas season.

Tips & Warnings

• Provide services other than selling Christmas trees, such as offering hayrides through the farm, selling pumpkins from a pumpkin patch for Halloween, having a small petting zoo with farm animals, a concession stand or other services. Some farms have large rooms or buildings that can be rented out for parties at other times of the year. This helps bring in additional income throughout the year.
• Don't wait until Thanksgiving to advertise your Christmas tree farm. Have signs up all year, with heavy advertising starting by at least October and continuing through December. If you allow customers to choose and tag their Christmas trees early and then come back closer to Christmas to cut them and pick them up, you will have twice the visitors.