PHOENIX – A real Christmas tree will be costing you more money this year — about 25 percent more. The National Christmas Tree Association said there’s a tree shortage, and it all goes back to the recession nearly a decade ago.
“Less people bought trees; that makes the farmers plant less trees,” said Shery Macklin,at Valley View Christmas Trees. She said it takes about 10 years to grow an average size tree. Fast forward to today, trees that were planted years ago aren’t ready.
Now, Macklin doesn’t know if they’ll have enough trees to maintain a wide variety as Christmas gets closer. “So it’s going to be a shortage for several years, especially your bigger trees,” said the vendor. According to Macklin, the average size trees they sell, cost about $100 last
year. This season, it will cost about $125.
