Big Tree Plantation

Big Tree Plantation opens at 9:00AM and I would strongly recommend that you arrive and sit in your car waiting at 8:30AM! The place QUICKLY gets packed, and you will definitely limit your tree options if you’re a late riser.
As first timers, we arrived at 9:30AM and figured we would be fine — and we were for the most part. We got a little lost and confused since we were Xmas tree cutting virgins — but who cares about organization when you are doing such a fun, cheerful family (or friends) event like picking out a Christmas tree.
The acreage that BTP is sitting on is beautiful country land in Morrow, and they offer wagon rides out to the tree farm lot for $ 1. However, we wanted to leisurely stroll instead. Also, we stopped first inside the spacious gift shop, and it epitomizes the warmth and coziness of what Christmas memories should be composed of. We LOVED the gift shop, with offerings ranging from [free] hot chocolate, fresh-​fried funnel cakes, piney fresh wreaths, tacky gift ideas, beautiful carvings and pretty decorations.
Also, dogs are welcome and there were lots of furry companions excitedly jogging around with their human pets. I’m partial to businesses that are pet-​friendly, and we semi-​creeped on several poor pups who were the unwitting targets of our croons and petting.
Hand saws are offered on-​sites so don’t worry about bringing one. We took our sweet time strolling up and down the aisles of trees until we found the one that spoke the loudest to us — a fat, fluffy, tangy-​yummy smelling little fellow. It’s nice that the staff mark the height of the trees so you will know not to pick one that is too tall for your residence. Also, make sure to only pick the trees that are tagged!
The staff were extremely friendly and efficient. They trimmed, bound and bundled our tree up into the truck in a fairly quick and capable procession. We purchased a tree for $ 65 all-​in (we JUST paid for the tree, everything else was bundled into that price and no add-​ons, so nice!). We left with our gift shop goodies and little cups of hot chocolate with cheery spirits and a very fun memory!
We are definitely looking forward to making this an annual tradition. The tree is up and smells lovely. And the whole experience packs so much more soul and warmth than dusting off a plastic pre-​lit tree or picking up a cold, sad little pre-​cut tree from a commercial home improvement retailer.

I hate to go back and update a review like this, but our experience has changed drastically at Big Tree. As we were planning to get our tree this year, we remembered our experience the last two years. Three words to describe Big Tree now: Crowded, Unorganized and Commercialized. It’s obvious that someone new has taken over. Pleasant workers and quaint environment is gone, a lot of the elements remain that were there before, but the charm is all but squeezed out of this place.
We waited over 1.5 hrs for our tree last year because the volunteers (football players… not workers anymore) couldn’t get it together. The only reason we finally got our $ 60 tree was because I demanded the tree 3 times.
I’m so sad to say this, but we’ll find a place closer to us. The tradition of Big Tree has ended for us.

We have been to Big Tree several years to get our Christmas tree. Always have had good quality and experience with the staff.

I wanted an UpNorth in Michigan white pine grove landscape but didn’t want to wait 10 years for the trees to mature to 10 feet tall. Big Tree delivered and at half the price of city landscapers. Count me a fan! Bryan provided an affordable quote ($ 600 to other landscaper’s $ 1100) and his crew of Bill and Paul were courteous and fast. Rocking on the front porch this afternoon to the whisper of pines and sweet piney smell of childhood lakeside summers. Incredible service.

Bought a live (balled in burlap) tree today and had a great experience! Matt helped us out and he had a lot of great info to share. we planted our tree totally differently than we had planned on thanks to his advice! We probably would have killed it doing it our way!
Parking is a little bit confusing but you can park really close to the trees/​barn if you are lucky! We saw a lot of cars parked really far away for no reason other than that you couldn’t see the main parking lot from the entry drive.
Trees are paid for in the gift shop barn, and there’s free hot chocolate.
Once you pay you drive to the loading area (apparently Black Friday was brutal with 2−3hr waits for loading!) once we got our loading area space we waited maybe 15min so not too bad. Bring a few bucks to tip the loading crew… they’re teens from high school sports teams and such, so it’s a good cause.
I wasn’t impressed with the wreath selection but I’m more into modern décor and they are more country style. To each their own!
If we hadn’t gotten a live tree to plant we’d probably go back next year!

Big Tree Plantation is a wonderful tree farm just outside of Cincinnati and definitely worth the drive.
Big Tree Plantation started primarily as a Christmas tree farm but has expanded into a small nursery. The owner, who resides on the picturesque farm, is very amiable and trustworthy. You get the impression that he knows what he is talking about. Additionally, his staff are also very hands on and knowledgeable as well (I recommend Matthew who was both a wealth of information as well as very detail oriented). While the selection is more limited than the mega-​nurseries, the plants and trees they have all appear very healthy and well selected with an eye to the local climate and overall appeal. (The trees and plants are all grown on the farm, i.e. not shipped in.) Oh and their prices cannot be beat — I saw the same tree (size, shape and quality) at two other mega-​nurseries after impulse buying it at Big Tree — one asked $ 330 and the other was somewhere in that range (I forget the exact number though).
After being recommended to them by a competitor nursery I went out to buy a tree. I ended up buying three and may buy more if I can find space for them. If you are tree shopping take a drive out there on a nice day and enjoy the scenery. Definitely recommended.
PS: They’re dog friendly.