Case of cabin fever? Shake off the winter malaise with a pair of Christmas tree webinar series

Bill Lindberg<lindbe35@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - January 05, 2026

Registration is open for the Real Christmas Tree Board and Michigan State University Extension Christmas tree winter webinar series.

Rows of Christmas trees covered with snow in the landscape. — A Christmas tree field in winter. Photo by Dutchman Tree Farm.

Shake off the winter blues and get ready for the new year with a pair of upcoming Christmas tree webinar series from the Real Christmas Tree Board and Michigan State University Extension.

Real Christmas Tree Board 2026 Winter Webinar Series

Registration is now open for the Real Christmas Tree Board 2026 Winter Webinar Series. This webinar series will take place Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Thursday, Jan. 22 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. There is no cost to attend this webinar series, however registration is required. Recordings of each presentation will be emailed to registrants and will be posted to the Real Christmas Tree Board’s resource library. On Jan. 20, Gary Chastagner, PhD, will present on filling research gaps to improve the management of Phytophthora root rot. On Jan. 22, Philipp Zerbe, PhD, will discuss Christmas tree genetic improvement through identifying stress defense mechanisms.

Restricted use pesticide credits have been applied for the following states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. To qualify for credits, attendees must participate in the live webinar.

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension Christmas Tree Winter Webinar Series

The MSU Christmas Tree Winter Webinar Series: Challenges on the Horizon is also open for registration. This four-part webinar series will take place Feb. 5, 13, 19 and 26 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Registration to attend the webinars is required. Recordings of each webinar will also be emailed to participants.

Restricted use pesticide credits have been requested for the following states: Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. Those seeking credits must view the live webinars.

The following is a summary of each of the MSU webinar series.

Feb. 5, 2026

Development of herbicide resistance in Michigan weeds with Erin Hill, PhD

Herbicides are commonly used as part of a weed control program to manage weeds. However, the development of herbicide resistant weeds could be a major challenge to future weed control in Christmas tree production. This webinar will discuss what herbicide resistance is, how weeds become resistant to herbicides, strategies to minimize or prevent this from happening, and steps growers can implement if weed resistance is suspected.

Feb. 13, 2026

Cold acclimation and needle retention with Mason MacDonald, PhD

Christmas trees undergo a set of physiological changes in response to decreasing temperatures and a shortening photoperiod. One of those responses is an increase in needle set, or the ability to hold needles post-harvest. However, with increasing fall temperatures and the demand for trees to be harvested and sold earlier in the fall, the ability for trees to change physiologically and hold needles may be impacted.

Feb. 19, 2026

Invasive insect update with Deborah McCullough, PhD

Elongated hemlock scale? Cryptomeria scale? Balsam woolly adelgid? These insect pests have not been common in the Great Lakes region; however, recent sightings may indicate that these pests are encroaching on the area. Deborah McCullough will discuss the current status and research of these pests.

Feb. 26, 2026

Maintaining productive soils in continual cropping systems with Monica Jean

Many Christmas tree fields have been in production for multiple tree rotations. This webinar will discuss how continuous production can impact soil health and why it matters for Christmas tree producers. This webinar will showcase new research in soil testing parameters for soil health and potential application for Christmas tree production in the future.

For more information on either webinar series, please contact Bill Lindberg at lindbe35@msu.edu.

For management information and upcoming events, sign up to receive MSU Extension’s Christmas tree production newsletter. For general information, visit MSU Extension's Christmas Trees website.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).