Christmas tree growers across the UK are warning shoppers about this year's supply after a summer of extreme heat and drought devastated young trees. One couple in East Sussex reported losing up to £80,000 after a late frost and scorching temperatures stunted growth and killed saplings.
Sussex farm loses 20,000 trees
Ruth and James Wallis, who run a farm near Lewes, planted 20,000 trees two years ago, and every single one has since died. The couple said they had tried applying fertiliser, but without rain the trees could not absorb it.
James, 53, said: "We spent a lot of money putting those trees in the ground and nurturing them for two years. It is going to make for a very gappy harvest going forward."
"Seeing a lot of our young trees dying was quite painful. It is something that we will get over, but it is a worry, especially with escalating prices," he added. "Farmers are very resilient. We are just focusing on the trees we have got."
Late frost and drought take their toll
The Wallises, who began planting Christmas trees in 2017, first faced issues last year due to drought. This year, a late frost in May killed all new growth on the trees, meaning they can only sell them at standard grade rather than premium grade, cutting £15 from each tree.
The farm was then hit by intense heatwaves and "extreme" drought conditions. Ruth and James do not have an irrigation licence, so they could not water the trees. The 20,000 new trees cost £1.50 each, adding up to a £30,000 loss.
Trees set to be harvested this year were also affected, with the harvest down 30 per cent on what they anticipated.
Long-term impact and future plans
Ruth, 53, said: "The problem with Christmas trees is that they take about ten years to grow, so the problem will be about ten years down the line when those trees should be maturing and won't be."
"It will have a major impact on our Christmas tree income. It has hit us very badly. Christmas tree growers all over the UK have suffered because of the drought," she said. "It is worrying. We have invested heavily in Christmas trees and at the moment the plan is to continue down that line."
The farm managed to make a lot of hay in the summer, which helped carry them over. Going forward, they are looking at water storage options to use water more efficiently. Ruth believes the government should do more to help struggling farmers, such as providing grant funding for water storage.
She added: "Farming is in our blood, it is a way of life. It is what we do. It has certainly made us think more carefully about how we will grow Christmas trees and what we need to do to protect them."
