# Christmas Tree Rental Business Moves Forward



## Ayatollah (Dec 12, 2011)

Several years ago I thought of trying to rent christmas trees as a business, but lost interest after a bit of calculating. Now I see a few of them getting of the ground, some for the second year. It's a novel concept, and it might possible take off in this new world where renewable and recyclable is being pushed. You can basically "sell" the same tree several years in a row by renting it each year. You charge for delivery for those who want, and pick up too. One guy is allowing people to "adopt" their trees year after year, the same one. The up side is that once you develop good symmetrical trees, they don't get tossed at the end of the year, and would be more valuable than choose and cut ones that are quite homely and raggedy.
the down side would be you pretty much have unrentable product sitting around on leased or owned property, doing nothing for 11 months out of the year. During that time some upkeep is still required...for no pay.
Right now the one company is getting some press, and people like the novelty and possibly the convenience. If it doesn't pencil out in the long run though...


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## imagineero (Dec 12, 2011)

sounds like a tough way to make money. You'd either have to resort to chemical means of suppressing growth or constantly replenish the tree stock. Maybe copper sulfate lined pots to slow root growth, and continuous selective pruning? Otherwise pretty soon they wont fit in the house

Shaun


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## treemandan (Dec 12, 2011)

:msp_unsure:


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## marytaylor (Dec 19, 2011)

*Christmas Tree Rental*

For all the traditional merriment they embody, Christmas trees are a) awkward to transport and b) terribly depressing when they’re discarded in January. No longer if Los Angeles landscape architect Scott Martin has his way; he founded The Living Christmas Company, which gives Los Angeles residents the chance to temporarily rent a living Christmas tree and have it delivered right to their door. Unlike regular Christmas trees, around 20 million of which are felled each year in the US, living trees are transplanted, roots and all, into pots to be enjoyed over the festive period. After the holidays, Scott and his team pick up the trees, replant them and nuture them until next year.

Customers can order a living tree from the company’s website; sizes range from 3–8 feet and prices—including delivery and collection by bio-diesel truck—are comparable to those of felled trees. While the company isn’t the first to offer tree rentals for Christmas, it is the first we’ve seen that lets customers adopt a pine, allowing them to share Christmas with the same tree year after year, watching it grow along with their family. Adopted trees are tracked by barcode.


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## firewood guy (Jan 16, 2012)

Been there, done that. It only appeals to enviros in that it makes them feel good. Tried this about 12 - 15 years ago for the small lot subdivision folks and found they didn't care for trees properly while indoors. We sell lots of live trees to our customers that have good sized lots (I.E. one acre plus ) and they have great fun planting their tree the first weekend after new-years, weather permitting. It's pretty cool seeing 20 years of Christmas tree plantings on their property and their kids all get involved with the care of each years tree, both while in the living room and later in the yard. Bar - coding the same tree? By the time two years rolls around that poor tree will have no other purpose than to be cultured into a giant bonsai due to the pinched / stunted root system. It sounds great, but doesn't have a real application since great 8' Noble Firs were selling for $ 35.00 in CA this year.......BTW we produce about 15000 plus evergreens / yr, all potted and ready to plant. We can't do cut trees.. It just ain't right unless its firewood!


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## treemandan (Jan 16, 2012)

marytaylor said:


> For all the traditional merriment they embody, Christmas trees are a) awkward to transport and b) terribly depressing when they’re discarded in January. No longer if Los Angeles landscape architect Scott Martin has his way; he founded The Living Christmas Company, which gives Los Angeles residents the chance to temporarily rent a living Christmas tree and have it delivered right to their door. Unlike regular Christmas trees, around 20 million of which are felled each year in the US, living trees are transplanted, roots and all, into pots to be enjoyed over the festive period. After the holidays, Scott and his team pick up the trees, replant them and nuture them until next year.
> 
> Customers can order a living tree from the company’s website; sizes range from 3–8 feet and prices—including delivery and collection by bio-diesel truck—are comparable to those of felled trees. While the company isn’t the first to offer tree rentals for Christmas, it is the first we’ve seen that lets customers adopt a pine, allowing them to share Christmas with the same tree year after year, watching it grow along with their family. Adopted trees are tracked by barcode.



Ok. How much?


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## Toddppm (Jan 17, 2012)

Reminds me of the people that rent horses, it's big business around here. Friend of mine had a timeshare or whatever you call it on a horse for his daughter. Don't know how they worked out who got to ride it when but it made his little girl happy and he had the $$$$$ to burn


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## treemandan (Jan 18, 2012)

Toddppm said:


> Reminds me of the people that rent horses, it's big business around here. Friend of mine had a timeshare or whatever you call it on a horse for his daughter. Don't know how they worked out who got to ride it when but it made his little girl happy and he had the $$$$$ to burn



Hell, this place is tame compared to what horse people are like.


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## NCTREE (Jan 28, 2012)

treemandan said:


> Ok. How much?



She had me at biodiesel.


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