As Christmas Approaches, A Tree Shortage Lurks

Christmas is less than 100 days away, but a shortage of Christmas trees dating all the way back to the recession in 2009 continues to affect supply.

Farmers said when demand dipped during the 2009 Recession, they didn't plant as many trees, and growing more takes time.

Ted Schrader, a Christmas tree farmer, said because of this amount of time it takes to grow trees, it will be a while before trees can become widely available again.

"There's a cycle for trees and produce," Schrader said. "Unfortunately this is going to be a ten year cycle for every year we go, but I think that we might get a little but better."

If you're set on having a live tree, your best bet is to shop early, as most tree farms run out of stock by Thanksgiving weekend.