I love Christmas trees. The smell is just divine.
The fact we have Christmas in the summertime now we're in New Zealand is a totally different matter and a subject I'll discuss my thoughts on another day.
But what I was surprised about was how quickly they grew.
Check out the difference in the pictures below, from planting out at around 10-15cm tall in October 2013 to a massive majority of them now hovering over my 170cm(ish) height in January 2015.
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| October 2013 |
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| January 2015 |
Since the original planting, the paddock has been divided into three and our chooks are lucky enough to get to live freely among the Christmas trees in their own field. (I think they must like it as we get a good supply of eggs!). Further trees have been planted to fill this field and we also have a few rows of Christmas trees down the side of our drive.
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| New generation planted a few months ago |
I'm not sure if there's a long term plan for these trees. I'll have to find out one day!
But I enjoy them in the meanwhile and if they ever get to go and live, even if temporarily, in another family's house, be decorated with all the glitz, and be the focus of the festive parties - then good on them and I shall cheer them along merrily!
What an excellent idea! People even buy pinecones for craft hobbies or to go into floral wreaths. Maybe too you can plant new seedlings as trees go out for Christmas and keep the cycle going, whilst also keeping a shelter belt in place?
ReplyDeleteI read once that radiata pines that take 60 years to grow to massive maturity in Europe, get to the same size in 20 years in New Zealand due to the better weather conditions. I's not for nothing that NZ has a huge logging industry :)
You always have the option of a never ending supply of firewood if you plant too many... nothing better than a roaring open fire in the winter!