Cut Christmas Tree Re-use and Recycling
Once your cut tree has completed its role as decoration, what will you do with it?
Soil erosion barriers: Christmas trees make effective sand and soil erosion barriers, especially for lake and river shoreline stabilization.
Fish feeders: Sunk into private fishponds, trees make an excellent refuge and feeding area for fish.
Bird feeders: Place the Christmas tree in the garden or backyard and use it as a bird feeder and sanctuary. Fresh orange slices or strung popcorn will attract the birds and they can sit in the branches for shelter. (Be sure to remove all decorations, hooks, garland, and tinsel strands.) Eventually (within a year) the branches will be brittle, and you can break the tree apart by hand or chip it in a chipper.
Mulch: A Christmas tree is biodegradable! You can remove branches, chip them, and use as mulch in the garden. Branches can also be laid on the soil around roses or over dormant perennial plants when the soil is frozen to provide some winter protection against freeze and thaw cycles.
Support the local Great Barrington Scouts BSA Troop 23. The scouts collect and recycle Christmas tres as a service to the community and a fundraiser for Scouts BSA on two Saturdays in January. Either schedule pickup ($10) or bring your tree ($5) behind Tractor Supply Co. at the time and Saturdays listed. Click here to learn more or schedule pickup.
Spring Gardening Tips
The garden is waking up, and you're in charge! It's time to start planting, pruning, and preparing your flower beds.
Spring Articles