Christmas trees are planted yearly so there are always trees ready for harvest at different sizes. The trees are anywhere from 1-3 years old when they are planted in a field. They are grown in a nursery or greenhouse before that. The seedlings are planted in rows in the ground during the spring. Christmas trees are planted by hand or by machine.5
The trees are mostly left alone during the first couple years of growth. Some farms will use fertilizer and pest control during that time. Some will not. Each year, starting at about 3, crews go through the trees with machetes or clippers and shear the tree. This means they are trimming the branches to help the tree be the cone shape we are used to.