FARMING Harvest time on the area’s largest Christmas tree farm.

OH! CHRISTMAS TREE

About 40 years ago, two farming brothers from Lincolnshire decided they’d add Christmas trees to their crop rotation. Hardly the easiest things to grow, and they definitely need patience, but the latter is a virtue, and now their farm is one of the happiest places in Lincolnshire at this time of year!

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE, we’re told, but we’re not too sure that there are many farmers who are virtuous enough to wait the best part of ten years to harvest their crop. Why, then, would you choose to diversify from cereal farming and the usual mix of arable crops, into growing Christmas trees? The sheer joy of Christmas for a start, says the team at Fillingham Christmas Trees, equidistant between Lincoln and Gainsborough. But also because you know there’s a market for them each year, and because the crop segues well with other arable crops in terms of when they require attention. The company, part of W & AC Rose, established 40 years ago by William and Alfred Rose, farms over 1,000 hectares with crops including wheat and barley, a little oilseed rape, peas, spelt and maize. Its Christmas tree crop covers 160 hectares of land in total, making the company one of the largest growers of trees in the area. Unlike the farm’s other crops though, its Christmas trees take a couple of years to establish themselves and only then grow… at a rate of about a foot each year. That means the tree you take home for Christmas could have been eight years in the

growing. And that’s not the only tricky element of growing Christmas trees. Their size and bulk compared to other crops makes irrigation impractical, so the farm just isn’t set up for it. They’re an awkward crop to manoeuvre around with machinery, hence the company has had to invest in some seriously specialised equipment to ensure they can afford their precious trees the care and attention they deserve. Fortunately, some time ago, the farmers came across a Danish company called Jutek, which manufactures some of the strangest looking tractors you’ve ever seen. The best way to describe them is as being part-tractor and part-tripod, from War of the Worlds. They’re able to tiptoe through the fields performing a multitude of operations like trimming the bottoms of the trees to ensure a good trunk, or keeping the weeds at bay in the crowded fields. The machines can also have 360° vertical hedge trimmer-style blades which groom the trees’ circumference to ensure they’re trimmed into nice round shapes. The farm’s machines takes out the labour from the growing of the trees, although nothing can take away the task of shifting all of those trees to its wholesale and retail customers. Many of the trees that Fillingham Christmas Trees grows are sold via some of the county’s most well-known garden centres, but others are sold directly to customers who visit the farm from the end of November. The farm’s Christmas tree operation has grown so large and is so busy that the public are no longer safely able to venture out into the field. However, when the farm’s Christmas shop opens, there’s no shortage of festive spirit as people find their perfect tree and enjoy a hot chocolate or something delicious to eat from its food stalls – a festive hog roast, perhaps. Santa will also be in residence, meeting children in his grotto to confirm which ones have been good or naughty all year long. After that, families can pick their tree, from a modest 3ft to the very largest 20ft specimens. The most popular height for a Christmas tree is 6ft, and the slightly softer, bluer Nordmann Fir has probably usurped the Norway Spruce in terms of popularity, although the latter is more traditional and certainly more heavily scented. Whilst the traditional ritual of picking a Christmas tree and wrestling it onto the car roof is alive, well, and all part of the fun, Fillingham Christmas Trees does also have its online shop, where you can specify your preferred variety and height for either a cut or pot-bound tree, then have it delivered directly to your door. There’s delivery option, too, for trees you’ve picked in person. There are many tips and tricks floating around that profess to be able to help your tree live longer; from cutting off the base to expose fresh trunk, to watering it with cola. Forget all that though. The only way to ensure a tree lives as long as possible in your home is to start with a fresh tree, and keep it well-watered. Opting to pick your tree from the area’s most festive Christmas tree plantations – one with over 40 years experience – will see both you and your tree enjoying a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year too! n

BRANCHING OUT: Exploring Different Tree Species...

NORWAY SPRUCE

Traditional, slightly spikier Christmas tree, with the freshest coniferous scent. Tends to have a really good shape, and broad, bushy base. Prone to needle-drop, so keep it in a cool place. n NORDMANN FIR

The Nordmann Fir has become one of the more popular varieties in recent years with softer needles and excellent needle retention. There’s much less scent but more tolerance to heat. Less green, with a more white/blue hue. n SCOTCH PINE

Much longer needles, with a wonderful scent and good needle retention. Ideal as larger trees as it’s quite bushy, and for those seeking a Christmas tree which may have pine cones growing on its branches. n

LOOKING AFTER YOUR TREE...

1. Buy a top quality, fresh tree... If you want a Christmas centrepiece that can withstand more than a few weeks in your home, shopping with quality in mind is a priority. When checking the health of a tree you can also try tapping the cut end to the ground, a few falling needles is expected, but if lots fall off without much movement, it’s time to find another!

2. Trim your trunk... You shouldn’t need to do this at all if your tree has been freshly cut, but once you get your tree home, saw half an inch off the trunk. This will rid your tree of any hardened sap and make sure it can absorb lots of water to stay fresh and green throughout your festivities. If you don't have the tools available to do it yourself, ask your friendly local Christmas tree seller!

3. Keep your tree waterered... Water is key to keeping your tree alive throughout the festive season. Make sure you choose a sturdy stand that can hold a good amount of liquid. Your Christmas tree needs to be kept in water at all times, so finding a base with a good well that you can access is important. Check your tree’s water source every day, you’ll be surprised just how thirsty they can be, drinking upwards of 2-3 pints a day! Make sure the trunk is nicely submerged for happy and healthy needles.

4. Forget the Gimmicks... You might have been told that Coca-Cola or some other household staple in the base helps to keep your tree alive. Don’t fall for it! Your beautiful tree just wants a constant supply of fresh water, it’s that simple.

5. Not too hot, not too cold... Your tree’s natural habitat at this time of year is out in the cold air; minimise the shock of the relocation. Constant heat or fluctuating temperatures can dry your tree out very quickly and if you’re planning to put your tree up very early this year, it’s vital you keep it away from direct heat.

I’M DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS

THE HOLLY & THE IVY, AND LOTS OF OTHER FESTIVE FOLIAGE TOO...

THE PLEASURE AND MYTHOLOGY OF IVY

Is it time to rethink the way we view clingy, misunderstood, ivy?

Ivy is often mischaracterised, accused of strangling trees or damaging buildings, a sort of clingy, misunderstood vandal. Research by English Heritage has shown that in some cases, ivy can help preserve stonework on old buildings. In fact, this woody, evergreen, much maligned, supports over 50 species of wildlife and lives symbiotically with other trees. There are two sub-species; Hedera helix and Hedera hibernica. The latter doesn’t climb, but rather spreads across the ground. Mature plants produce flowers from September to November and there are few habitats or conditions in which it doesn’t thrive – sometimes a little too quickly for some gardeners’ preferences. The association of ivy with Christmas celebrations dated back to the Pagans but was adopted by Christians in medieval times. Sharp’s English Folk-Carols (1911) was the first published version of the song The Holly and The Ivy. n

KISSING UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Mistletoe is hemiparasitic, meaning it gains much of its nutrition and water from its host in order to photosynthesise. There are 900 species worldwide, but only European mistletoe (Viscum album) is native to the UK. Mistletoe prefers cultivated apple trees but will also grow on hawthorn, poplar and lime, meaning orchards and churchyards are its most common home. It wasn’t until the 1700s that the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe was established, with a belief that the plant symbolised fertility and romance. n

CHEERFUL RED POINSETTIAS

HELLEBORUS, THE CHRISTMAS ROSE

Poinsettias are a Christmas classic and an obvious choice to have brightening up your home during the festive season. Many are grown in Lincolnshire at nurseries such as Bells at Benington. The reason that poinsettias thrive during Christmas is because they’re tropical plants and so if you’re placing one on a windowsill, make sure it’s not touching the glass, since the cold will damage it almost immediately. Never overwater poinsettias or leave them sitting in water, and make sure their pots have good drainage. n

Shakespeare reckoned that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Well, The Christmas Rose is in fact a hellebore, also known as a Lenten rose, because they flower from late winter into spring. Hellebores actually belong to the buttercup family. What’s in a name? Very little we reckon! n

BECOME A HOLLY BUDDY...

Lesser known facts about this festive favourite

A festive favourite, holly is a dioecious plant, meaning it has separate male and female plants. Much more common prior to enclosure, the ancient forests of the Midlands were cleared of vast swathes of holly following the 1803 act. Still, mature holly trees can stretch up to 15 metres tall and live for 300 years. Holly is a staple food to over 30 species, including Britain’s five thrush species, which eat holly berries and disperse the seed when excreting digested berries. There are more than 400 varieties of holly – whose Latin name is Ilex – with many different shapes, degrees of prickliness and with variegated varieties too. Bushes grow best in moist well-drained soil, and are tolerant of either sun or shade. Berries are produced on female plants from autumn until mid-winter. Both genders produce white flowers with four petals, but male plants have more prominent stamens, whilst females flowers produce the berries. If you’re planting holly in your garden, be sure to have at least one male plant in close proximity to female plants. Holly leaves and berries reflect the light and add colour to the dark days of Yule, and it’s the red berries’ association with blood and spikey leaves, too, that has led to an association with Christian tradition. In Celtic mythology the Holly King ruled over the half of the year from the summer to the winter solstice. At this time the Oak King defeated the Holly King to rule for the time until the summer solstice. n