‘You just have to do the best you can’: Helene impacts live Christmas tree sellers in Virginia
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Live Christmas tree sellers in Virginia are feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene, as the deadly storm wreaked havoc on tree farms in the early fall. "We were short of our trees," said Mike McLaughlin, owner of The Azalea Garden Center, located at 1320 Westbrook Avenue. "We didn't get what we were supposed to get, but we got enough that I think we'll be able to take care of my customers. I ordered 800 and I got 650." Hurricane Helene's impact on tree farms is directly affecting revenue for garden center owners in the Central Virginia region. "Where I get my trees from -- my grower, [he] has four farms," McLaughlin said. "One farm was almost wiped away, so he wasn't able to get any trees from that from that particular farm." McLaughlin buys his trees from a community named Whitetop in Grayson County, which received major damage from Hurricane Helene, according to an agricultural assessment of damages from the storm. According to the report, Grayson alone sustained 38% of Virginia's total damage from the storm -- totaling $61,065,834 worth of damages. MORE ON HELENE: ‘This is my life,’ IV fluid shortage continues to impact those who rely on this life-supporting fluid McLaughlin added that Helene's damage across North Carolina has also played a role in the shortage of trees, as many sellers in 'The Old North State' bought a great amount of Virginia trees -- leaving him and others unable to borrow or buy from other growers in Virginia to make up the difference. This, in turn, caused him to miss out on his trees of height. "The highest I have right now is like an eight, nine [foot tree,] and some of the nine [foot trees] are maybe nine [feet] one [inch trees,] nine [feet] two [inch trees] — that's about it," McLaughlin said. "That's as high as I go." However, the impacts of Helene only added to the ongoing setbacks from the Great Recession, according to McLaughlin, when many growers went out of business. "They just kept falling off and the profitability and -- and growing a tree just isn't there," he said. "The cost of fertilizer, the cost of the seedlings, the cost of the labor, the transportation ... you put it all together and it really adds up." MORE ON HELENE: ‘It was a life-or-death thing,' Virginia doctor returns home from hurricane relief deployment The almost 31-year garden center owner said there is a greater need for places to source trees, which requires more growers to get into the business. Those looking to buy a live Christmas tree through The Azalea Garden Center can do so through the end of the weekend, McLaughlin said -- but after that, supplies will be limited and it would be best to call before coming by. In the meantime, he added that he is working with his grower to see if he can obtain more trees. "You just have to do the best you can — it's all you can do," McLaughlin said. In addition to Christmas trees, folks can also buy wreaths, poinsettias, Christmas cactuses and bows at the garden center.
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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Live Christmas tree sellers in Virginia are feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene, as the deadly storm wreaked havoc on tree farms in the early fall.
"We were short of our trees," said Mike McLaughlin, owner of The Azalea Garden Center, located at 1320 Westbrook Avenue. "We didn't get what we were supposed to get, but we got enough that I think we'll be able to take care of my customers. I ordered 800 and I got 650."
Hurricane Helene's impact on tree farms is directly affecting revenue for garden center owners in the Central Virginia region.
"Where I get my trees from -- my grower, [he] has four farms," McLaughlin said. "One farm was almost wiped away, so he wasn't able to get any trees from that from that particular farm."
McLaughlin buys his trees from a community named Whitetop in Grayson County, which received major damage from Hurricane Helene, according to an agricultural assessment of damages from the storm.
According to the report, Grayson alone sustained 38% of Virginia's total damage from the storm -- totaling $61,065,834 worth of damages.
McLaughlin added that Helene's damage across North Carolina has also played a role in the shortage of trees, as many sellers in 'The Old North State' bought a great amount of Virginia trees -- leaving him and others unable to borrow or buy from other growers in Virginia to make up the difference. This, in turn, caused him to miss out on his trees of height.
"The highest I have right now is like an eight, nine [foot tree,] and some of the nine [foot trees] are maybe nine [feet] one [inch trees,] nine [feet] two [inch trees] — that's about it," McLaughlin said. "That's as high as I go."
However, the impacts of Helene only added to the ongoing setbacks from the Great Recession, according to McLaughlin, when many growers went out of business.
"They just kept falling off and the profitability and -- and growing a tree just isn't there," he said. "The cost of fertilizer, the cost of the seedlings, the cost of the labor, the transportation ... you put it all together and it really adds up."
The almost 31-year garden center owner said there is a greater need for places to source trees, which requires more growers to get into the business.
Those looking to buy a live Christmas tree through The Azalea Garden Center can do so through the end of the weekend, McLaughlin said -- but after that, supplies will be limited and it would be best to call before coming by.
In the meantime, he added that he is working with his grower to see if he can obtain more trees.
"You just have to do the best you can — it's all you can do," McLaughlin said.
In addition to Christmas trees, folks can also buy wreaths, poinsettias, Christmas cactuses and bows at the garden center.
