Fir flies in great Christmas tree scramble

Since Christmas is nearly upon us let’s attempt a little trivia in readiness for quiz games around the lounge or dinner table.

Which country do you think your real Christmas tree has originated from and which type of tree species is the most popular?

The chances are that you will plump for one of the Scandinavian countries, generally Norway, or you might just try Scotland, but the UK’s most popular Christmas tree choice is perhaps surprisingly the Nordmann Fir from Georgia in Eastern Europe, beating what was once the most popular Norway Spruce into second place.

Oliver and Kirstie Combe run a Christmas tree farming enterprise at Wigginton Lodge in the village of Wigginton just a mile or so north of York. Oliver has been involved in growing Christmas trees for 27 years and both he and Kirstie, with a little help from four-year-old Joe when I visited, have been over-run with demand this year.

He said: “Last weekend was just so hectic here. As fast as we were cutting them down and bringing them in they were being netted and carried away.

“The Nordmann Fir is now the dominant Christmas tree species in the UK and 80 per cent of our 65 acres of trees is devoted to it.

“They come from a tiny area called Ambolauri and all the seed is collected from one small plateau. A considerable amount of effort goes into seed selection and I place our order three years ahead.

“We buy-in the trees as three-year old seedlings, which means they are between 12-25 centimetres when we receive them. I go for a very high root-to-shoot ratio because we have very dry springs and if the land goes into drought they need to be able to survive. They are then grown for six to nine years before they are ready.”

One of the reasons the Nordmann Fir has become so popular is because of its needle retention. Years ago the traditional gripe of having a real Christmas tree was falling needles making a constant mess on the carpet.

“It is very needle-fast and is a very good looking tree as its branches are lateral and glossy. We find that customers want a dense tree with plenty of body and that’s also where it scores highly.”

Growing Christmas trees from seedlings has become a far more technical job over the past three decades. There’s now a real hierarchy in the Christmas tree growing industry and Oliver is constantly striving to be right at the top.

“In the years I’ve been growing them the business has evolved from being simply a cash crop for forests, as a by-product of normal forestry operations, to an intensely grown, almost horticultural high quality crop. Christmas trees are now grown to a very strict and tight specification.

“That’s because customers now have an expectation and desire for their tree. They want it to last and look good all Christmas without dropping needles as well as being a centrepiece.’

“The UK has an excellent climate for growing Christmas trees as we have predictable rainfall, fertile soil and a willing and flexible labour force. Nearly 8 million Christmas trees are purchased in the UK each year and a number of big Danish and Polish growers have relocated to Scotland and the North of England in recent times. That has also increased the export market.”

While the British climate might well be conducive to good growth and predictable rainfall this year’s weather has provided Oliver with a very real test of his forestry experience.

“The land here is not brilliant ground. We have a mix of very heavy wet clay land and lovely light sandy soil.

“Trees thrive in the light sandy ground and we try to put them wherever the good land is more prevalent. There are a number of trees we would have harvested this year, but we haven’t because when you have waterlogged areas it can affect the colour and saleability.

“I moved from planting the trees in April to September last year. That was OK at the time but it’s not been at all helpful this year. As a result of the incredibly wet autumn period we haven’t been able to plant everything. I’ve still some trees ready to plant as soon as it’s dry enough.”

While the Nordmann Fir has claimed top spot in the UK the Norway Spruce still plays its part and makes up nearly 20 per cent of Oliver’s trees.

“The Nordmann is a demanding tree to grow as it needs a lot of cultural work. Through the year we are constantly walking through the trees bud-rubbing, shearing and pruning. We put a huge amount of work into all of our crop.

“The Norway Spruce is easier to grow and on this side of the country the ground produces a good tree. I also sometimes plant a few Fraser Firs. They come from North Carolina and are my indulgence into other species, they are also the number one tree in the States.”

Oliver and Kirstie sell both wholesale and retail from the farm. They are fully aware that, as with every business, there is competition from everywhere these days but they feel their knowledge, experience and professional advice coupled with the quality of their trees is why people keep coming back.

“We’re never going to be the cheapest but we offer known provenance and do everything in our power to ensure the quality of the product is right.

“We provide choice of size and shape. We’re effectively a specialist farm shop. Everything here is freshly cut. When you buy a tree from us it will be one I have cut down within the past 2 days. You can’t get that from someone who doesn’t grow them.”

Kirstie looks after the sales operation at York Christmas Trees and is always keen to improve customers’ awareness of making the best of their tree.

“Some of our customers want tall, slim trees and others want them shorter and broader. They all like them to be dense and full. We work hard to educate customers in how to look after their tree and would never sell one in a wooden block. It’s important that it is treated as a plant as a six-foot tree in a centrally heated house could quite easily drink a pint of water a day.

“If you went out to buy a bouquet of flowers you would never think of leaving them in a vase without water. It’s the same principle. If you don’t water your tree it might be bald by Boxing Day.”

Historically the most popular size of tree has been 6ft but this year the 7ft has overtaken it. In the next three years Oliver and Kirstie are looking to sell between 12,000 and 15,000 trees a year.

Family matters down on farm

The farming operation at Wigginton Lodge runs to 140 acres and is owned by Kirstie’s mother, Gillian Stephenson.

Oliver and Kirstie run the Christmas tree business as York Christmas Trees. Kirsty’s sister Romy has pony paddocks and a livery business on the farm; and her husband Rod Cordingley, auctioneer at York Livestock Centre, has a herd of 20 cattle and a flock of sheep.

Oliver and Kirstie live nearby at Spurr House Farm where they have a further 95 acres of which 65 acres is arable land contract farmed by a neighbour. They have three children – Tom, 11, Lottie, eight, and Joe, four.