No inventory or price concerns at Yuma Christmas trees lots

FOX 9's Adam Klepp spoke with a local Christmas tree lot owner about what he's doing to keep costs low this holiday season

YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - Despite some concern about rising costs for Christmas trees this holiday season, one Yuma Christmas tree lot, through a little bit of hard work, has been able to keep its costs low for customers.

Bob Merten has operated Signature Christmas trees at the Yuma Palms for 9 seasons.

It all started after he and his friends got tired of dead trees by Christmas.

“Started out by trying to have a green Christmas,” Merten said.

Now Merten is working through a pandemic, and rising gas prices, trying to keep prices down for his loyal customers. 

“Prices have gone up 3 percent every year," Merten said. "But we try to maintain our prices for the demographic in this area.”

Christmas trees are a crop that takes 10 years to grow, so prices at Merten's lot largely depend on the size of the tree.

Mertens says he drives to San Diego every 3 to 4 days to get a new shipment, which keeps costs lower.

"I meet the trees in San Diego at a brokerage, then I bring them here, it saves the extra freight bringing them through another state," Merten said.

Merten also expects to have enough inventory to last until the days leading up to Christmas, and that his prices are even a bit lower than last year.