Where To Buy Or Cut Your Own Fresh Christmas Tree Near La Mesa

LA MESA, CA — People in La Mesa who prefer fresh-cut Christmas trees — whether they cut down trees themselves or buy from a retail lot — shouldn’t have any trouble finding them in 2022, according to a survey of Christmas tree growers by an industry trade group.

The prediction by the Real Christmas Tree Board comes after a survey of 55 wholesalers that supply two-thirds of the market for fresh trees and 1,500 U.S. adults ages 21-49.

“The real Christmas tree industry met demand last year, and it will meet demand this year,” Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board, said in a news release. “This is essentially a year without surprises.”

Residents of San Diego County have plenty of options, sortable by ZIP code and by type, on the Real Christmas Tree Board website. They include:

Choose-and-cut:

• Highland Valley Christmas Tree Farm: 18425 Highland Valley Road, Ramona

Garden centers:

• Armstrong Garden Centers: 5702 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad
• Armstrong Garden Centers: 2840 Via de la Valle, Del Mar
• Armstrong Garden Centers: 1755 E. Main St., El Cajon
• Armstrong Garden Centers: 701 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas
• Armstrong Garden Centers: 1364 Morena Blvd., San Diego
• Armstrong Garden Centers: 9939 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego
• Armstrong Garden Centers: 10320 Friars Road, San Diego
• Evergreen Nursery Blossom Valley: 9708 Flinn Springs Road, El Cajon
• Evergreen Nursery Carmel Valley: 13650 Carmel Valley Road, San Diego
• Evergreen Nursery Oceanside: 3231 Oceanside Blvd., Oceanside
• Mission Hills Nursery: 1525 Fort Stockton Drive, San Diego

Home improvement store:

• Home Depot: 725 Plaza Court, Chula Vista
• Home Depot: 1320 Eastlake Parkway, Chula Vista
• Home Depot: 298 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon
• Home Depot: 1001 N El Camino Real, Encintas
• Home Depot: 1475 E Valley Parkway, Escondido
• Home Depot: 1550 W Valley Parkway, Escondido
• Home Depot: 7530 Broadway, Lemon Grove
• Home Depot: 3838 W Vista Way, Oceanside
• Home Depot: 5755 Mission Ave., Oceanside
• Home Depot: 12175 Tech Center Drive, Poway
• Home Depot: 355 Marketplace Ave., San Diego
• Home Depot: 525 Saturn Blvd., San Diego
• Home Depot: 950 Dennery Road, San Diego
• Home Depot: 3555 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego
• Home Depot: 4255 Genesee Ave., San Diego
• Home Depot: 5920 Fairmount Ave., San Diego
• Home Depot: 10604 Westview Parkway, San Diego
• Home Depot: 12185 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego
• Home Depot: 550 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos
• Home Depot: 255 Town Center Parkway, Santee
• Home Depot: 2430 S Melrose Drive, Vista
• Lowe's: 2515 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad
• Lowe's: 2225 Otay Lakes RoadO, Chula Vista
• Lowe's: 620 West Mission Ave., Escondido
• Lowe's: 155 Old Grove Road, Oceanside
• Lowe's: 13750 Poway Road, Poway
• Lowe's: 2318 Northside Drive, San Diego
• Lowe's: 9416 Mission Gorge Road, Santee
• Lowe's: 151 Vista Village Drive, Vista

Seasonal lot:

• Evergreen Nursery Carmel Mountain: 12105 World Trade Drive, San Diego
• Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees: 801 Pearl St., La Jolla
• Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees: 3190 Mission Blvd., San Diego
• Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees: 3901 Clairemont Drive, San Diego

Real Trees May Be Pricier

Trees, like everything else, may cost a little more this year. Tree growers answering the Real Christmas Tree Board’s survey said growing costs have increased. About 36 percent of respondents said costs were up 11 percent to 15 percent compared to last year, while 27 percent said costs increased 16 to 20 percent. Another 10 percent said the year-over-year increase in production costs was more than 21 percent.

As a result, 71 percent of growers said they would likely increase wholesale prices. That means trees could cost anywhere from 5 percent to 20 percent or more.

Consumers seem to be taking the expected price hikes in stride.

“While our grower survey tells us wholesale prices are likely to be higher for real Christmas trees this year, our consumer survey tells us people expected as much,” Gray said in the news release. “The good news is fans of real Christmas trees say they believe the trees are worth the price, and they are willing to pay more this year if necessary to get one — and that’s not a surprise either.”

Growers’ expectations of a healthy season are also tempered by fears of supply chain disruptions, the No. 1 concern of 44 percent of growers. About 35 percent said their top concern is that inflation-strapped consumers will cut real Christmas trees from their lists this year. About 21 percent of respondents cited labor availability concerns.

The Origin Of Christmas Trees

The origin of the Christmas tree can be traced to long before the advent of Christianity, according to History.com.

In ancient times, it was commonly believed the sun was a god. It appeared to be sick as daylight waned in the winter, but evergreens thriving during winter were a reminder that the sun would become strong again and lush greenery and warmth would return.

Evergreen trees were seen as a symbol of eternal life among ancient Egyptians, Hebrews and Chinese. Pagans throughout Europe used evergreens in their homes to represent fertility and new life.

Christmas trees were first used by devout Christians in Germany. The 16th century Protestant reformer Martin Luther is believed to have added lighted candles to trees. He was composing a sermon as he walked home on a winter evening and was struck by the sight of stars twinkling above the evergreens, and recreated the scene in a tree in his family’s main room.