What are some good ways to dispose of a Christmas tree after the holidays?

Question:

What are some good ways to dispose of a Christmas tree after the holidays?

Answer:

After the holidays, there are several ways to dispose of or recycle your tree.  (Before recycling your Christmas tree, remove all tinsel and ornaments.) 

Place the tree in the yard or garden for use by birds and other wildlife.  The branches provide shelter from strong winds and cold.  Food can be supplied by hanging fruit slices, seed cakes, suet bags, or strings of cranberries or raisins on the tree’s branches.  You can also smear peanut butter and seeds in pine cones and hang them in the tree. 

Prune off the tree’s branches and place the boughs over perennials as a winter mulch.  Chip the tree and use the chipped material as a mulch around trees, shrubs, or in perennial flower beds. 

If you can't use the tree yourself, contact local government offices, such as the Public Works Department, or your sanitation service.  Most communities have some type of Christmas tree disposal program.  Some have central collection points, others collect the trees at curbside. 

Conservation groups may be another option.  Some hunting and fishing groups collect trees and use them to provide habitat for wildlife. 

Get more information from this article: Guide to the Selection and Care of Christmas Trees

Last updated on
December 1, 2022