Kentucky Christmas tree growers can face a variety of challenges, both on the farm and in the marketplace. In addition to weather, weeds, and threats of disease, the state's soil is suitable for only certain types of Christmas trees. Marla Jackson, Office Manager at Hutton and Lloyd Tree Farm says customers also tend to want taller trees. "The larger tree, the eight to 10 to 12 foot is now pretty much, there's about as many people buying the larger trees as there are the small trees," said Jackson.
Since Thanksgiving fell a little later than usual this year, Jackson says the period of time when customers could cut down their own trees was cut short. She says the large retail stores also take a chunk out of local tree farmers' pockets.
While weather and weeds can hamper Christmas tree production, Jackson says bugs are typically not a major issue. "Most of our growers do not use insecticides basically at all. There are a few who will have to spray for bagworms and a few things like that from time to time, but as a general rule it's not a high insecticide crop," added Jackson.
Jackson says Kentucky's topography does limit the type of Christmas trees that are able to grow in the state. She says pine and spruce trees are found on Kentucky Christmas tree farms, but not many firs. ?
