Mateo

Hi, my name is Mateo.  It's my job to make sure that your Christmas tree grows healthy and strong.  We test the soil and if the nutrients are lacking, we will add fertilizer to help the trees.  We only use fertilizers that are safe for the trees, the animals that live on the plantation, and humans too!  We stay on the lookout for pests (weeds and insects), which can hurt or even kill a tree.  We are part of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM)  program.  That means that we use pest control methods that don't harm the environment.  We mow the tree farm to keep the weeds down and use a variety of ways to get rid of the bad insects.  Sometimes other good insects can be used to get rid of the bad ones.  Pests can also be vacuumed up or even picked off the tree by hand.  We only use chemicals when it is absolutely necessary.  It's a lot of work, but we think it really benefits the trees that we grow.  To learn more, click here.