This summer's drought has killed a lot of Christmas tree seedlings, but growers say they will have plenty of mature trees for families to haul home for the holidays.
Growers are reporting losses of younger trees, including those that were routinely watered. Many growers say they will leave prices the same as last year or raise them slightly. Prices range from $5 to $8 per foot and many growers started selling the day after Thanksgiving.
Marvin Kohout, the owner of Kohout's Christmas Trees near Dorchester, Nebraska, says he had 1,500 trees in containers this year. About 50 survived in the harsh conditions.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln climatologist Ken Dewey says that as of October 31st, the state was experiencing its driest and second-warmest year on record.
