How to find your Christmas tree in NJ this year

There has been a lot of talk in the media about a Christmas tree shortage. This has caused a run on trees all over the country, including here in New Jersey.

We asked our listeners on the air Monday if they've noticed a shortage here in the Garden State.

A few growers and sellers of Christmas trees called in with some insight.

How early should you get your Christmas tree?

Plenty of people in the business told us people have shown up early and in greater numbers than in years past. Some have all their trees reserved for the season due to the mad rush and many have already cut and sold more of their inventory than usual.

There has been a decrease in the number of available trees in the last few years due to weather and blight in some cases. and just a general decline in the number of growers still in business.

Christmas tree shortage in New Jersey?

Luckily, New Jersey has no shortage of Christmas tree farms in all parts of our state.

Some offer trees you can cut right there as many have made it a family tradition to do so. Some also sell pre-cut trees from growers outside of our area like North Carolina and Canada.

Here is a list of Christmas tree farms in Central Jersey.

And a more complete list of them all over the state.

Which kind of tree is best for you?

If you're new to buying a real tree you may not have a preference yet. Many of us like the smell of a balsam fir tree. Most of those come from Canada and the scent spells Christmas for me.

If you're not sure what you like, here's a handy guide of what might work for you. Most of the trees that will be sold through Christmas have already been cut, so waiting till closer to the holiday for a "fresher" tree is a waste of precious time.

How to keep your Christmas tree from dying

If you're not ready to put it in your house yet put the trunk in a bucket of water outside until you're ready to bring it in to decorate.

Don't let the water run out or the tree will seal itself off and not accept any more water that will keep it fresh.

Merry Christmas and go get your tree!

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis Malloy's own.