The drought from last year apparently really did a number on Texas Christmas tree farms. Elizabeth Trovall with State Impact Texas reports:
“This year’s wetter summer weather improved tree growth, so Evergreen Farms is back to cutting down trees in the field.
However, many customers are driving home again this year with a out-of-state fir strapped to the roof of their car. Even though Texas trees are for sale, Walterscheidt is also bringing in and selling the northern trees. And often times, they’re what customers prefer.
While “people really want to cut down their tree many times,” Walterscheidt says, once they get a good look at the Texas trees, it’s a hard decision. The northern firs are taller and greener, while the Texas trees show a duller green and are shorter, all thanks to the drought.
“They should be seven and eight feet tall and now they’re only four or five,” says Beth Walterscheidt, Mike’s wife. “It kind of stunts their growth even though we did water.” The Walterscheidts use drip irrigation to water trees, but that can only go so far. Trees need rainfall.
Even the Capitol opted out of a Texas tree this year. They couldn’t find a tall enough Texas-grown tree for the front of the capitol building but unlike the average consumer, they’re not actually allowed to purchase a non-Texas tree. So, they went artificial.”