Celebrating Without Breaking the Bank : TREES : Getting More Yule Tree for the Green
With a bit of planning and some comparative shopping, you can find the mood-setting Christmas tree you want at an affordable price. In order to lower prices and thus attract customers, many in the tree business have adopted cost-cutting measures. Whether you prefer a cut tree or artificial one, here are some of the ins and outs of finding the right one at the right price:
Cut trees
Many tree retailers now purchase their trees by using a “field-run” method, in which they buy all the trees growing within a designated area from the grower.
“The past couple of years we have been buying field-run trees to go along with our hand-selected trees,” said Jeff Funk of the Pepper Tree Nursery in San Marcos.
“In a field run, we will buy all the trees on an acre or two. We get them at a better price, and that allows us to sell them to the customer at a better price. With field-run trees, about 60% to 70% will be perfect, while the rest will usually have some flaws--maybe a slightly crooked top or a bare spot.”
Funk said those who buy a less-than-perfect tree still find ways of making it look like the perfect tree once they get it home. “You can always turn the bare spot back to the wall,” he said. “With a crooked top, you can cut it off or put an ornament on it.”
According to Funk, purchasing trees by the field run has meant considerably lower prices for holiday shoppers. “Some of our field-run trees are less expensive than our trees were 10 years ago,” he said. “Of course, we still have hand-selected trees for those who want the perfect tree.”
Field-run or hand-selected Christmas trees are mostly Douglas firs, which usually serve as the standard Christmas tree. Christmas trees may be graded as No. 1 or No. 2 to designate their quality, and are usually available in a sheared or non-sheared style. Sheared trees are trimmed at the tips while growing, making for a fuller, bushier looking tree. Non-sheared trees, while usually thinner and less full, are also less expensive.
A field-run, sheared Douglas fir in the 5- to 7-foot range may cost about $20, while the same non-sheared tree can be purchased for about half that.
While a No. 2 quality tree may be less expensive than a No. 1, it behooves the smart shopper to closely inspect a tree before purchasing.
“You may save a little money by buying a No. 2 tree, but you might end up with a shabby-looking tree,” said Craig Groschup of the San Dieguito Boys and Girls Club, which sells trees during the holidays as a fund-raiser. “A No. 1 tree won’t lose its needles before Christmas, or dry out as quickly. A lot of No. 2 trees are on wooden stands, already getting dry, while a No. 1 may be displayed while standing in water.”
Most trees sold locally are shipped from Washington and Oregon.
Groschup said the extra care taken with No. 1 trees includes shipping them in closed, refrigerated freight trucks to protect them from the elements.
“You may pay a little more, but you get a better tree,” he said.
Some shoppers who are willing to pay a little more choose the stately Noble fir rather than a standard Douglas or Plantation.
The Noble, with its airy look and smaller needles, grows much slower than a Douglas, and hence costs about twice as much. A 10- to 12-foot Noble can cost more than $100.
Artificial trees
Some consumers prefer the convenience of artificial trees, which, although initially more expensive than natural trees, can represent a substantial savings when set up year after year.
Department stores and discount and retail chain stores carry a variety of artificial trees during the holiday season. Most trees are in the 4- to 9-foot range, and usually come in traditional green or a white-flock style.
“We have five or six types to choose from,” said Mike Igoe of Target Stores in Oceanside.
According to Igoe, the green Douglas fir, which comes in a 9-foot size, and the white Siberian pine, which comes in 4- to 7 1/2-foot sizes, are among the most popular. A 6 1/2-foot green Northwest fir is also a big seller at about $60. The white-flocked Siberian pine costs about $50 for the 4-footer and $150 for the 7 1/2-footer. The Douglas fir, which comes only in a 9-foot version, is $229.
Target and other stores do discount their artificial trees frequently, so if you watch for sales you can save money during the holiday season.
“We mark down our trees about five times before Christmas,” Igoe said. “If you look for the sales you can save 10% to 40%. You can really get a good price. I also advise people to buy early. By the time Christmas comes, there are no trees left.”
Live trees
Buying a live Christmas tree is, of course, more expensive than a cut tree. But if you keep the tree in a pot or plant it in your yard, it may represent a savings over the next few years.
“Potted trees are generally more expensive than cut trees, but they have a lot of versatility,” said Richard Bailey of the Pinery Tree Farm in Escondido. “When you buy a potted tree, you can get a product that will go into your landscaping, or one that you can keep in a pot and use for a Christmas tree year after year. You may save money in the long run.”
Live trees come in all sizes and prices, from a 6-inch tree that costs a dollar or two to a 10-footer that runs about $200.
Last-minute shopping
“Times are a little hard right now, but when it comes to Christmas trees, there is always a way to get through the hard times,” Funk said. “People always find a way to get their Christmas tree.”
One way is to wait until right before Christmas, when retailers and tree lots will mark down the leftover trees to bargain-basement prices.
“The closer we get to Christmas, the cheaper the trees get,” said Shawn Myrick of Nurseryland Garden Center in Carlsbad. “We can’t sit on them after Christmas. They are not worth anything then. We usually sell out by Christmas, but if there are any trees left, we mark them way down right before Christmas Day.”
Some tree lots, although they don’t advertise it, will put out trees at no cost on Christmas Eve.
