Chairman at the top of the tree

Run by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, it was held in Yorkshire for the first time in the organisation’s 19-year history last week at Woolley Edge and Oliver Combe of Wigginton, the newly elected association chairman and owner of York Christmas Trees was delighted with it coming North and is looking forward to another busy festive season.

“The British Christmas tree market is seeing constant growth and we believe that of the 8-10 million trees that will be sold this year our members will produce around 6-8 million. It appears more people are buying real trees and in line with such as beef, lamb and pork they are also increasingly interested in the quality and provenance.

“That’s one of the reasons why we hold our competition open to general public attendance as much as it is part of the growers’ annual meeting. We all want the best tree possible whoever we are.”

Nordmann Fir has become the tree of choice during the past decade overtaking the Norway Spruce. It originates from Southern Russia, Georgia and Northern Turkey and has won over the masses because of its propensity for not shedding its needles, otherwise known as needlefast.

“Our membership that started with 48 members in 1980 has now grown to 320 throughout the United Kingdom,” says Oliver.

“What we have seen in recent years is an overall improvement in tree quality as growers have increasingly recognised how to grow, fertilise and prune. That desire to improve is the ethos of the BCTGA.”

The purchase period of Christmas trees, in common with the national mood prior to the coming season, sees trees being purchased earlier than ever. While Oliver and his fellow producers want to sell as many as they can he’s still cautious over how much before Christmas it is wise to buy your tree.

“We supply a perishable product and all growers will do everything they can to make a great tree that is fit for purpose, but at the end of the day once cut a tree, like flowers, only has a limited shelf life. My main market is 6-7ft and 7-8ft trees.

“Our biggest sales weeks are the first and second weekends of December. That’s asking a lot of a perishable product and is one among many reasons why the BCTGA is committed to running technical trials and undertaking cultural techniques to provide a tree that looks as good as it can for as long as it can.”