AUBURN, Mass. - Along with raising the risk of wildfires, ongoing dry weather could also be impacting Christmas tree farms in our region.

At Luks Tree Farm in Auburn, Christmas begins after Labor Day weekend, or at least that’s when eager early birds can tag a tree to make sure they won’t be left out when the big crowds arrive after Thanksgiving.

Owner Richard Luks has been in the business for more than 60 years, and said while there’s still plenty of trees to pick from, some have dried out needles and other signs of the recent drought.

“Some of the smaller trees will just dry right up, it’ll kill them,” Luks said. “Shedding some of the old needles, even the new ones, because it’s just stressed and so dry.”

This year, Luks has noticed more people trying to scope out a tree as early as they can.

“I’ve had about double the amount of tags out there, and they really did come down very early,” Luks said. “The first week of September, most of them. They really went to work tagging those trees, and I’ve already had about a dozen trees cut, which is unusual.”

While the dry conditions we’ve seen in recent weeks won’t impact some trees just yet, other unusual weather patterns in recent years have made for some uncertainty at local tree farms. 2021 and 2023 featured rainier summers than usual, while 2022 and 2024 brought very dry conditions.

“They will develop a root rot if you get too much rain,” Luks said. “When it’s dry, you’ll have more yellowing.”

Last year, the farm ran out of trees taller than five feet by the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so Luks advises families get out and buy one early, or be prepared to join the crowd.

“It’s a complete zoo,” Luks said. “It’s hectic, but we manage.”

Additionally, Luks said the farm makes sure to stock up on pre-cut trees when they can, which helps ensure everyone gets the Christmas tree they’re looking for.