Christmas trees and cut greenery
Small or large and imposing, but very much regional. The preferences are quite different when it comes to the Christmas tree. The tradition of a natural tree for the festive season still holds true. Nevertheless, the effort required to harvest a marketable tree should not be underestimated.
The perfect green Christmas tree through optimum nutrient management
The demands of consumers on their annual Christmas tree are very high. A good tiered structure as well as the right coloring and shaping are essential for the desired positive appearance of the tree.
- Quality assurance is the be-all and end-all for Christmas tree crops.
- Potassium improves frost resistance.
- Golden to yellow pointed needles indicate magnesium deficiency.
- Drought induces deficiency of micronutrients.
Christmas tree and cut greenery crops
When selling Christmas trees and cut greenery, the appearance and exterior quality of the goods are of utmost importance. Christmas trees can only develop their typical growth habit, twigs, and needles uniformly and attractively if the nutrient supply and the pH value of the soil ensure balanced and needs-based nutrition of the trees throughout the entire growing season. This must be accomplished in a targeted manner for each season.
Before starting a new Christmas tree or cut greenery plantation, a soil test should be carried out.
Recommended pH value of the soil:
- Spruce, Douglas fir, pine: 4.5-5.0
- Fir: 5.0-6.5
Recommended soil content of potassium and magnesium:
| Soil type |
K2O (mg/ 100g soil) |
Mg (mg/ 100g soil) |
| light soils | 8-15 | 5-10 |
| middle to heavy soils | 15-20 | 10-15 |
The most important nutrients for Christmas trees and cut greenery
Potassium and magnesium boost tree and needle quality
If there is an insufficient supply of potassium and magnesium, Christmas tree and cut greenery crops often suffer from nutrient deficiency symptoms, which can reduce sales revenues. This can be prevented by targeted fertilization.
Potassium - for better resistance
- Improves plant resistance to diseases, pests, and frost.
- Increases resistance to drought and stress from harvesting, transportation, and storage.
- Decisively improves internal and external woody plant quality.
- Reduces the failure rate.
Magnesium - for green needles
- Ensures proper growth and a healthy appearance.
- Guarantees dense needling with larger needles and attractive, mostly green-blue coloration.
- Reduces the failure rate.
Sulfur - for better nitrogen use efficiency
- Sulfur activates important enzymes in energy and fatty acid metabolism. It is essential for the synthesis of sulfur-containing amino acids, influences overall protein synthesis, and therefore has a positive impact on yield.
- An optimal sulfur supply leads to efficient nitrogen utilization. If there is a lack of sulfur, the nitrogen taken up cannot be converted into proteins and a signal is sent to the roots to take up less nitrogen. Therefore, the plant's need for sulfur must be met for optimal nitrogen utilization.
- Sulfur enables the plant to maintain its physiological processes optimally even under drought stress and to avoid or at least minimize yield losses. Sulfur is a component of the metabolic product glutathione, which, as an antioxidant, renders oxygen radicals formed during drought stress harmless and therefore prevents necrosis of the leaves.
Recommended minimum content of nutrients (% DM)
| Tree | N | P | K | Ca | Mg |
| Spruce | 1.5 | 0.13 | 0.5 | 0.25 | 0.1 |
| Fir | 1.5 | 0.13 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Pine | 1.5 | 0.12 | 0.45 | 0.25 | 0.1 |
Fertilizer recommendations for Christmas trees and cut greenery
The goal of fertilization is to maintain soil fertility so that the natural yield potential can be fully realized over the long term. This requires maintaining optimal soil nutrient levels (soil nutrient status class “C” in Germany), meaning that nutrients removed with the harvested crop must be replaced through fertilization. Additional allowances should be made for site-specific losses, such as leaching, and to compensate for previous deficits.
Total nutrient removal by a crop consists of the nutrients removed with the primary harvested product (e.g., grain, tubers, beets) and the crop residues (e.g., straw, foliage, leaves). If the crop residues remain in the field, only the nutrients removed with the primary harvested product need to be replaced.
Nutrients for Christmas trees and decorative greenery should be applied in sulfate form because these crops are sensitive to chloride.
Recommendation for soil fertilization
The following fertilization recommendations are calculated based on nutrient removal by the primary harvested product and assume optimal soil nutrient levels (soil nutrient status class “C” in Germany). Allowances for site-specific losses through leaching, fixation, or erosion are not included.
The following fertilizer rates are recommended to provide balanced nutrition for conifers and maintain optimal soil nutrient levels:
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Potassium and magnesium applications before crop establishment |
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Potassium and magnesium applications for crop fertilization at two-year intervals |
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Product recommendation
Recommendation for foliar fertilization
For acute magnesium deficiency
To correct magnesium deficiency quickly, a total of 10–30 kg/ha epsoTOP is recommended as a foliar spray in two to three split applications. The maximum solution concentration is 5 %.
If manganese and boron are also deficient, epsoMICROTOP can be used; if manganese, zinc, and boron are also deficient, epsoMULTITOP can be used. One to two applications of 5–7.5 kg/ha each are recommended at a maximum solution concentration of 2 %.
