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A plant expert has warned there will be a shortage of Christmas trees this year due to the poor growing conditions. Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk is urging people to get their Christmas trees as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
He said that a mixture of climate change effects and bad weather means there are fewer quality trees this festive season. The shortage of supply also means that prices are expected to rise and there could even be higher costs next year as growers face ongoing challenges.
In May, Europe experienced late frosts which damaged buds and shoots of young trees for growers in Denmark, Poland and Scotland. Hot weather that followed put additional strain on the remaining trees which slowed their development and has reduced the number of trees that can be sold this year.
Chris said: “Unfortunately we’re seeing a shortage in supply of quality Christmas trees this year due to weather conditions during spring and summer. Late frosts combined with heatwaves and general climate change issues have stunted the growth of many trees from Europe, leaving growers with less quality trees to sell.
“It’s no surprise that growers are also facing higher transport and labour costs and as always this price rise is being passed on to consumers.”
S ince Brexit has made importing trees more challenging, UK growers have been focusing on producing more quality home-grown trees themselves. While this is improving, rising labour costs and stricter chemical regulations are adding extra pressures for farmers.
Chris said: “UK growers are stepping up and the quality of British grown trees is improving. While supermarkets are expected to have enough stock, not every tree will meet the higher-quality standards just yet. And with the overall number of low-grade trees decreasing, there will be less available at discounted prices than previous years.
“The bottom line is prices are creeping up no matter where your tree is from and demand is outstripping supply. If you haven’t thought about it already, you’ll want to be heading out soon to pick your Christmas tree as soon as they hit the stores to avoid missing out. You can also order online for guaranteed quality. Either way, act early or you could be left feeling disappointed.”
