Tree growers hope for good season

APEX -- Jessica Woltz spent Sunday hugging Christmas trees at Brock's Tree Farm.

Keeping to her family's tradition of cutting their own tree, it is her usual way of choosing a stout one.

"If my arms can go all the way around it, it's not big enough," said Woltz, 23.

Tree growers say they are are optimistic that tough times won't stop most shoppers like Woltz from sticking to their holiday tradition of buying live trees.

"Consumers are telling us that they won't have as much under the Christmas tree this year, but they will have a tree," said Linda Gragg, director of the N.C. Christmas Tree Association.

Some growers think the economy may help tree growers edge out their pricier artificial competition. "The real tree industry is going to make inroads against the fake trees, though the market might be down overall," said Scott Ballard, who grows Fraser firs in Ashe County.

Even if sales fall short, don't expect rock-bottom prices. Tree growers are a patient lot.

"A tree in the ground is an asset, and if you don't cut it, it's still good," said Ballard, who ships 7-foot-tall Fraser firs anywhere in the United States for $99. "It's worth more next year."

A 22-year veteran of the business, Bobby Brock grows just about every kind of Christmas tree he can at his farm in western Wake County. He grows red cedars for the old-timers who remain loyal decades after its days as the tree of choice in the South have passed. He grows Scotch pines because former Pennsylvanians crave them.

And he ships in Fraser firs from the mountains, even though anyone who visits his lot has passed four parking lot tree joints on the way.

Brock does a brisk business in the Fraser firs, the variety that dominates the North Carolina Christmas tree business.

"People need to have a good selection," Brock said. "I have a tree for every taste and a price for every budget."

Brock's farm sells cut-your-own trees 5 feet tall and higher for $10 to $60.

The cheaper ones reward buyers willing to deal with a crooked stump, a bare spot or other blemishes. The higher-priced ones will have a perfect conical shape and even fill all around.

Debbi Gillentine and her family were scaling back their traditional trek to the mountains to cut their own Fraser fir, an annual trip that usually involves staying overnight. Instead, they chose a 6 1/2-foot-tall white pine from Brock's lot for $35.

Gillentine said her 13-year-old son, Zach, picked out the tree, with help from 4-year-old Zander -- subject to veto power by their parents.

"We didn't want to spend all that money on gas this year," she said.

A GUIDE TO NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTMAS TREES

FRASER FIR: Grown in the mountain counties, these have long, sturdy branches with short needles. First planted 50 years ago as an alternative to timber and cattle on steep slopes, the Fraser fir now makes up more than 95 percent of the trees grown in the state and makes up a fourth of all Christmas trees nationwide, said Bill Glenn, a marketing specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture. The 18-foot-tall Fraser fir that was cut and shipped to the White House over the weekend will be the third to decorate the Blue Room in the past four years.

WHITE PINE: The most popular among trees grown in the Triangle, these have long, soft needles and a deep green color. Their branches bend easily, however, so they don't hold heavy ornaments as well as some other trees.

VIRGINIA PINE: Another popular locally grown tree, with mid-length hard needles of a lighter green on sturdy branches. Watch for yellowing needles and crooked stumps, which can make the tree lean in its stand.

RED CEDAR: Longtime residents of the North Carolina Piedmont and coastal counties probably grew up with this tree as their Christmas tradition. It has a strong scent distinct from the pine smell of other Christmas trees and flexible branches with scale-like needles.

LEYLAND CYPRESS: These have become more popular as Christmas trees in the past decade or so. They have feathery, pointed needles on flattened branches and little aroma.

TREE BARGAINS

* Cutting your own locally grown tree is usually cheaper than buying Fraser firs shipped in from the mountains.

* Go for an imperfect tree. If your tree will be against a wall, or in a corner, buying a tree that has one misshapen side might not matter, for instance.

KEEPING A TREE

* Water, water, water: The most important thing for all trees is to keep them in water at all times.

* For pre-cut trees, cut off a 1/4- to 1/2-inch disk from the bottom before setting it up.

* Place your tree in a location where it gets little sunlight. Close the curtains during the day to protect trees near windows that get direct sunlight.

* For safety reasons, check lights before putting them on your tree, and do not use any with worn or frayed cords. Turn the lights off at night.

* Place your tree away from fireplaces, radiators, televisions and other heat sources, which can dry your tree and could be fire hazards.

(N.C. CHRISTMAS TREE ASSOCIATION, ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION, NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE ASSOCIATION, STAFF REPORTS)