Thompson’s have been growing our own Christmas Trees on the Isle of Wight for over 20 years now. A small team of knowledgeable, experienced, dedicated staff, lead by our head grower Peter, manage a 130 acre nursery that has close to 100,000 trees growing.
We are members of The British Christmas Tree Growers Association, who believe in the sustainable farming of Christmas trees. Did you know that the trees grow from taking carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas CO2, out of the atmosphere. One Christmas tree will then release enough clean oxygen for at least 18 people!
For every tree that’s cut, another is planted, so there’s always a constant cycle of growing Christmas trees. This Spring we planted 7000 Nordman Fir trees and 3500 Spruce, some of which will still be in the ground 20 years from now.
We buy the trees as 3 year old seedling from a selected provenance, which means where the seeds are sourced from around Europe. This is important because the provenance make sure we get a better quality tree from seed. The seedlings are then planted in a 2 litre pot using peat free compost, grow on for a further year, then planted the following spring in uncultivated ground.
Carbon footprint is the amount of emissions and greenhouse gases produced by humans whilst doing their daily activities, making or consuming a product. Our carbon footprint is measured in emission of CO2. Research has shown that a natural Christmas tree has a 3.5kg CO2 carbon footprint compared to 40kg of a plastic tree. If that real tree is recycled in the appropriate way after Christmas, this figure reduced further. Did you know that 1 Christmas tree in the ground releases enough clean oxygen for at least 18 people? So our 130-acre Christmas tree farm with close to 100,000 trees on it is really benefitting the environment.
Thompson’s are members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. Its members all share the same ethos of the sustainable farming of Christmas trees. By buying locally from a British Christmas tree grower, you will significantly reduce not only your carbon footprint, but also keep emissions to a minimum. Research has found that a real Christmas tree has a much smaller carbon footprint and therefore better for the environment that an artificial tree. Your real tree is also 100% recyclable after Christmas, and if you purchase a potted tree, it can be replanted in your own garden and enjoyed all year round!
