Christmas tree supply is stronger this year but prices continue to rise.
The American Christmas Tree Association says consumers can expect to pay an average of $80-$100 for a real Christmas tree this year.
Mark Achenbach is a tree grower at Poynter’s Tree Farm in Felton. He says their trees average around $80-$95 depending on size.
But he notes supply is better this year – he says over-planting in the 90s and early 2000s led growers to cut back, causing a shortage that hit around seven to eight years ago.
“The last few years we’ve had trouble from the company that we get trees from, getting the quantities that we wanted. This year they were better, their supply was better, so I think that’s promising.”
Achenbach notes that even with a better supply, prices are still trending higher. For the last few years, he says, it’s about a 20 percent increase each year. He says at Poynter’s, they took the brunt of the price raise from the grower to keep their prices for consumers about the same.
Bill Oakes sells Christmas trees at the New Castle Farmers Market and says supply was better this year, but his prices are still up about 15 percent, he says due to freight and fuel prices.
“We start out at $35, we go all the way up to $225," Oakes says. "But our medium-range Christmas tree is right in the $55 to $60 range, that’s over 60 percent of our lot.”
Most trees left in Oakes' lot are in the $80-$100 range.
Achenbach says Christmas trees are only good for about three weeks, but watering them frequently helps to make them last.
Oakes agrees daily tree maintenance can make it last longer – get the tree into water no more than six hours after it’s been cut and keep the container full. He adds the tree could drink as much as a gallon and a half of water on the first day, and will continue to drink a lot in the first week.
