Recycling a Christmas Tree

Recycle Your Christmas Tree For the Garden

Once January 1st rolls around, millions of Americans find themselves looking for a way to dispose of their Christmas trees. Although most communities offer curbside Christmas tree recycling program, there are also some great ways to put your post holiday tree to work for you in the garden.

Protect Dormant Plants

Pine boughs are a great way to protect sensitive plants during the winter months. Evergreen perennials, less hardy perennials, or perennials that were planted in mid- to late fall, can all benefit with some extra mulching to help them through the winter. Spread the boughs over the plants at least two layers thick. This will protect them from drying winds and help stabilize soil temperatures, reducing the risk of frost heave.

Trellises And Arbors

Pine boughs are also an attractive way to protect plants on trellises and arbors from drying winds. Use twine or zip ties to hold them in place over climbing roses, grape vines, bittersweet, or clematis.

Spring Removal

Pine boughs should be removed in the spring after the danger of severe weather has past. Once temperatures begin to warm up and the tips of early bloomers like crocus or snowdrops start to push through, its time to collect them from the garden. Since most of your plants will still be under an additional layer of protective mulch, its important to remove the pine boughs to allow the soil to warm and increase the air circulation around your plants.

Spruce Up Planters and Window Boxes

Another great way to recycle your tree is to cut the branches down to size and add them to your window boxes. Using the pine boughs as your base, add in some rose hips, birch twigs, or boxwood to fill in and create texture. Bits of preserved reindeer moss will add a pop of citrus green. To add some warmth, nest (or wire) in some large, sugar pine cones and a few pheasant feathers. Finish the arrangement off with a few pearl holiday ornaments (unbreakable) or white lights, and some winter ribbon. Voila! Beautiful window boxes to transition you through until spring.

Add Traction to Slippery Sidewalks

During a sudden January thaw, toss pine boughs onto sidewalks and walkways and let them freeze into the ice. Not only will they provide you with some good traction (and a pleasant scent), but also with an eco-friendly alternative to rock salt. Just make sure you leave your shoes at the door after walking over them, or you will gum up your floors with pine sap.

Provide Food and Shelter for Birds

Recycle your Christmas tree whole, by placing it in the garden or backyard and using it as a bird feeder. First, make sure the tree is free from Christmas decorations, ornament hooks, garland, and tinsel. Then take florists wire and a large gauge needle to string some edible garland made from fresh apple, orange, and pear slices, cranberries, peanuts in the shell, popcorn, and pine cones covered in peanut butter and birdseed. Birds will flock to your tree to nibble at the garland or take cover in the branches.

By Ellen Brown

Recycle Christmas Trees for Garden Supports

To further recycle your Christmas Tree (after giving it to the birds, of course!) is to use it in your garden during the growing season.

In past years I've used mine for supports for green beans or morning glories. Simply remove the branches with a pair of garden snips, leaving stubs between 6 and 12 inches in length, either lean it against a fence or support it in some ingenious way in the garden and plant your seeds at its base.

The vines will grow up the "tree" and use it for support. If your garden plot is large enough, ask your neighbours to give you their cast-off trees if they won't be using them. These supports will last much longer than just one growing season. Not only is this tip helpful, but artistic as well!

Source: Can't remember - but I'll claim it as my own!

By Pam from Beeton, Ontario, Canada

Recycling Christmas Trees

Over 33 million real Christmas trees are sold in North America every year, and according to the National Christmas Tree Association, 93% of consumers who use real Christmas trees recycle them using some type of community program. Because the week following the New Year's Day holiday is traditionally the time when most Christmas trees are taken down, here are some post-holiday tips for prolonging your tree's usefulness.

Curbside Pickup & Recycling Programs

Many communities now offer curbside pickup or drop-off sites for Christmas trees after the holidays. In some cases, the trees are run through a chipper and the woodchips are sold as mulch or used on local trails or in community gardens. In other cities, trees are picked up and used by local conservation groups to help prevent beach erosion or stabilize shorelines along local rivers and lakes.

Examples of how Christmas trees are being recycled:

• Porter County, Indiana: Conservation groups are using discarded trees at a wildlife rehabilitation site to provide cover for birds and small animals.
• Gulf Shores, Alabama: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used recycled trees for dune restoration following hurricane Ivan.
• New Orleans: Discarded Christmas trees are being used to rebuild wetlands and the Louisiana coastline following hurricane Katrina.
• Cook County, Illinois: Recycled trees are providing nesting materials for threatened birds like blue herons and great egrets .
• Keene, New Hampshire: Christmas trees are used in lakes and ponds to restore fish habitat.
• Clarksville, Tennessee: Woodchips are used to enhance local hiking trails.
• Tomahawk, Wisconsin: Ground trees are used as boiler fuel to power plants and factories.

(Source: National Christmas Tree Association) The number of tree recycling programs continues to grow each year, but unfortunately, many trees still end up in landfills. For information on Christmas tree recycling programs in your area, contact your public works department, local Christmas tree farm or visit http://www.christmastree.org/recycle.cfm and type in your zip code.

Backyard Birds

Turn your post-holiday tree into a winter sanctuary for backyard birds. Adorn the branches with seed and suet feeders, dried fruits, and peanut butter-coated pinecones rolled in birdseed to make a cozy winter birdfeeder. Prop up your tree by "planting" it into a snow bank or wiring it to a light post or nearby tree.

Perennial Protection

Another great way to re-use your Christmas tree is to use the boughs as winter mulch to protect your perennials. Remove the boughs from the tree and layer them loosely over plants so they trap the snow, or simply lay the entire tree on its side next to the plants. Acid-loving plants like rhododendrons and azaleas will appreciate the extra springtime boost they get from dropped needles.

Wind Breaks

Layer tree branches over the vegetable garden or exposed flower beds to help prevent soil erosion caused by harsh winter winds. Ask your neighbors for their trees. Place them upright in snow banks along your driveway or sidewalk to create a temporary seasonal windbreak.

Ready-Made Mulch

In the spring, grind your tree down and you'll have ready-made mulch for your garden beds and walking paths, or add some woodchips to your compost pile.

Fish Habitat

If you have a backyard pond or own lakeshore property, consider using your tree to provide some fish-friendly habitat. Submerged trees provide fish with safe, natural cover for feeding and spawning.

Preparing Your Tree for Recycling:

• Remove all decorations and foreign materials from your tree. This includes lights, tinsel, garland, plastic wrap, wire, rope, nails, hooks, and plastic bags used for cleanup and transport.
• Remove the tree from its stand.
• Flocked trees (decorated with fake snow) cannot be recycled and should be set out with the trash. Contact your waste management company about extra charges.

By Ellen Brown