These dark days we are bringing a Christmas tree into our homes en masse. Pleasant. What choice is there? “The trees are just thrown onto the street, that is how we deal with nature.”
Christmas tree grower Jaap Bolhuis (57) opened his barn doors in Haren on Saturday. Inside there are dozens of Christmas trees, in all shapes and sizes, for sale. Christmas lights are on and music is playing. Here people can choose their ‘perfect’ Christmas tree. Bolhuis also sells trees to traders. How many trees does he get rid of? Bolhuis: “That is impossible to count. It concerns thousands of trees spread over three hectares of land.”
‘People were there early, especially during corona’
The first people who wanted a tree got there early this year. “They already called in mid-October,” says Bolhuis, chuckling. That is a big difference from thirty years ago. “Then people bought their Christmas tree a week before Christmas. This has gradually been pushed forward, people want more fun during the dark days. During corona, people were there very early.”
However, the peak will still not occur until after Sinterklaas, the busiest days come afterwards.
A hundred years ago his great-grandfather founded the nursery. “They first grew vegetables, until about forty years ago the vegetable auction on Peizerweg went bankrupt. Then my father switched to Christmas trees.” It started small, but over the years the Christmas tree nursery has grown into an entire forest.
The ideal Christmas tree
From the moment the barn doors open until Christmas, Bolhuis is constantly standing among the Christmas trees. “Then I only come home to sleep and eat.” He doesn’t have a Christmas tree in his house yet. “We have to set this up between the companies.”
The fact that the Christmas tree is in the house earlier and earlier is not the only difference compared to the past. The Christmas tree must become more and more perfect, he knows. This also changes the work of a grower. “We used to plant the Christmas trees and that was it. This can also be seen in photos from the past, the trees were less beautiful. Nowadays the trees must meet an ideal picture. With my son Martin I work on the trees all year round. As one of the few growers, we do this from the beginning, with pine cone seeds. Others buy saplings.”
‘Symbol of a disposable society’
Despite the fact that the Christmas tree is the center of many living rooms for weeks, it often ends up in the shredder or in a bonfire during New Year’s Eve. That could be different, thought Frans Kerver (62). Thirteen years ago he started the so-called adoption trees in Groningen at Tuin in de Stad. “The trees are just thrown onto the street, that is how we deal with nature. The Christmas tree is the symbol of the throw-away society.”
The solution according to him? Special organic trees with compact roots. This makes the trees easy to get out of the ground without affecting the root system, he explains. This way the same trees can last about five Christmases.
And that’s getting better and better, says Kerver. “This year, it seems that more than 95 percent of the adoption trees can be decorated again. This is due to the rain last summer. Too bad for the people who were on holiday, but good for the trees.” Even if the trees no longer meet the requirements for a Christmas tree, this does not mean that they are worn out. They ‘retire’ in a separate field, says Kerver.
Foster trees
Nevertheless, there are too few adoption trees. “There is more demand than supply. Organic soil in the Netherlands is scarce, which means that growers can no longer supply these special trees,” says Kerver. He also tries to replant regular Christmas trees, which he calls foster trees. But that doesn’t go well as often, only 50 percent of those Christmas trees survive the warm living room.
Anyone who wants these trees should be quick, Kerver warns. “The trees always sell very quickly. But they still have to wait until after Sinterklaas, when sales start on December 6.”
What is this week all about?
Christmas trees. As Christmas approaches, more and more people are bringing a Christmas tree into their home.
Why do I need to know this?
Anyone who wants to bring a ‘real’ Christmas tree into their home can choose between an adopted Christmas tree or a regular one. Two growers speak about their Christmas trees.
Where are we?
In Haren, at Christmas tree grower Bolhuis. And in Groningen, at Tuin in de Stad that sells adoption trees.
Where else is this happening?
In the entire country. And beyond that, everywhere where people decorate Christmas trees.