Recycle
Your Christmas Tree
Recycle
Your Christmas Tree
The holidays are over
and if you’re like most people, your Christmas tree is waiting on the curb for
a city pick up. But wait … you
have other options than just throwing it away. You can recycle your Christmas tree.
There’s still plenty of time to pull your tree off the curb and drag it
to your backyard, but hurry!
Many people don’t realize it, but all parts of a Christmas tree can be recycled. If you’re a gardener, try using the Christmas tree branches for mulch. Cut the branches from the tree, and place them over strawberry plants, spring-flowering bulbs, and perennials. The branches make good mulches by themselves or can be used to help hold down other mulches already in place. The branches also help catch snow over the plants. Snow is a great insulator and helps protect plants over winter.
Don’t worry about the dry needles dropping off the branches and hurting the soil. The needles will break down and add beneficial organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Contrary to popular opinion, they will not make the soil too acidic.
The trunk of a Christmas tree can also be recycled. It can be used as edging in flowerbeds or borders, and will give a natural look to any garden area.
If you like to attract and feed birds in your yard, a Christmas tree can provide valuable cover for the birds during stormy and cold weather and also be a feeding station. If you have a feeder, lay the Christmas tree on its side or stick it upright in the snow near the bird feeder. Birds are more likely to use a feeder if there is cover nearby. If you don’t have a feeder, string popcorn, cranberries, orange halves, or suet pine cones and hang them in the branches to feed the birds.
If you have a garden-size chipper/shredder, you can save your entire tree until spring and then chip it up for mulch. The chips from a Christmas tree make excellent mulch for all plants in your garden and landscape. You can also compost the chips from your Christmas tree.
This year recycle your Christmas tree. You’ll be glad you did!
– Ann Wied, UW Extension Consumer Horticulture Educator, Waukesha Co.
