After the holiday season has come to an end, many of us are left wondering what to do with our real Christmas trees. Instead of simply throwing them away, there are several creative and practical ways to give these old trees, a second life. What to do with your real xmas tree after Christmas?
Cutting your own Christmas tree can be a fun and festive tradition for families. Not only does it give you the opportunity to select the perfect tree for your home, but it also creates lasting memories.
Whether it’s recycling them into useful materials, providing a habitat for wildlife, or utilizing them in crafts and decorations, there are countless possibilities for making the most out of your real Christmas tree even after the holiday cheer has faded.
Explore these ideas and discover how many creative ways you can contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to tree disposal while still enjoying the beauty of your old Christmas tree.
Reasons for Reusing Your Tree
Reusing your real Christmas tree instead of discarding it offers several benefits.
- Firstly, it helps reduce landfill waste. Instead of adding to the already overflowing landfills, repurposing your tree provides an environmentally-friendly alternative.
- Secondly, reusing the tree can help minimize carbon dioxide emissions. By opting for a real tree over an artificial one, you are choosing a more sustainable option. Real trees absorb carbon dioxide during their growth, helping to offset carbon emissions.
- Thirdly, reusing your tree can save you money. Instead of purchasing expensive decorations, you can use the tree as a centerpiece for DIY projects and crafts.
- From wreaths to wood slice ornaments, the possibilities are endless.
- Lastly, reusing your tree allows you to create unique and personalized decorations.
- Whether it’s turning the trunk into wall art or using branches for fairy houses, the natural elements of the tree can add a touch of rustic charm to your home.
So, this holiday season, instead of discarding your real Christmas tree, consider the numerous benefits of repurposing it and let your creativity soar.
What to do with your real xmas tree after Christmas? Several ways
Curbside Pick-up Options
To take advantage of this service, you’ll need to find out the dates and times for pick-up in your area. Some locations have both holidays or specific days designated for tree collection, so be sure to check the schedule. Additionally, there may be guidelines to follow in preparing your tree for pick-up.
This can include removing all decorations, LED lights, and tinsel, as well as cutting the tree into manageable pieces if required.
To schedule curbside pick-up, contact your local waste management company or check the website of your local authority. They will provide you with all the necessary information and guidance on how to properly dispose of your real Christmas tree.
Remember, curbside pick-up is a hassle-free way to get rid of your tree and ensure it is recycled or composted properly. Take advantage of this convenient service and make the most of your old Christmas tree this holiday season.
Composting Your Tree
Fantastic eco-friendly option that not only reduces waste but also provides valuable nutrients for your garden. With a few simple steps, you can turn your tree into nutrient-rich compost that can be used to nourish your plants and soil.
Start by removing all Christmas ornaments, lights, and tinsel from the tree. Next, remove any large branches and cut the tree into smaller pieces that will decompose faster.
If you have a Wood chipper rental cost options, you can easily turn the branches into wood chips to use as mulch in your garden. Alternatively, you can place the smaller pieces of the tree directly into a compost bin or pile. Ensure the tree is well-mixed with other compostable materials like leaves, food scraps, and yard waste. To speed up the decomposition process, regularly turn and aerate the compost pile.
Within a few months, you’ll have nutrient-rich compost ready to nourish your plants and support their growth. Remember, Christmas tree composting is a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to give back to nature while adding nutrients to your garden.
Mulching Your Tree
Mulching is one of the most popular and beneficial ways to repurpose your Christmas tree after the holiday season. By chipping or shredding the tree into smaller pieces, you can create a layer of mulch that can provide numerous benefits for your garden and plants.
Mulching helps to conserve moisture in the soil, suppress weed growth, regulate soil temperature, and improve overall soil health.
The mulch created from your Christmas tree can also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden or landscape. Simply stash spread the mulch around the base of your plants, dead tree, or flowerbeds, ensuring to keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunks or stems.
As the mulch decomposes over time, it will release nutrients into the soil, further enriching it. Mulching your tree is an eco-friendly way to prolong its life and contribute to a healthier garden ecosystem.
Chip the wood for garden paths and beds
Wood chips are among the most efficient options for filling in the garden pathways, cover weeds, and even mulch your bed.
In reality an extensive pile of wood chips (up up to six inches thick) is superior in eradicating the weeds than plastic. They block out sunlight, while permitting air and water to flow through, ensuring that the soil’s food web stays in good shape bit longer. If you are raking the wood chips away for planting, you’ll have healthy soil that has benefited by the nutrients contained from the wood that is decomposing.
If you’re planning to make use of wood chips for mulching your garden in the garden, a 1 to 2-inch layer of mulch is sufficient to control weeds, preserving the soil’s moisture and stopping it from splashing onto leaves.
If you have an electric wood chipper, you can run the branches and trunk through the chipper to make your personal organic mulch. Don’t buy it in bags or hoping that a landscaper will drop a pile of chips on your driveway!
You could even join with your neighbors and hire a chipper for this weekend and chip all of their dead trees. After you’ve gathered a decent pile of chips, spread them out to all the people who want to use them for their gardens.
Make it a wildlife habitat
Birds love hanging on the tree branches and so you can put various bird sanctuary feeders on the trees close to your home. The tree does not have to be in a state of being alive for the bird feeders to invade it.
If you like hearing the sound of bird sanctuary singing early in the morning, create an area for bird feeder to nest with the Christmas tree. Make use of bird feeders to draw animals to eat and build nests within the branches of your tree.
Use branches as simple supports for plants
Take the strongest branches off their needles, then cut the lengths into different sizes to be used as stakes for plants. These are great for securing houseplants and flower beds, as well as vegetable seedlings and new plants growing in your garden.
The stakes can be helpful in protecting tomatoes as well as other seedlings from the dreaded cutworms in the spring. A small piece of decaying wood slices placed against the stem will prevent cutworms from wrapping themselves on the stem, and then cutting your plant.
“Stickers” or the “stick trick” is highly efficient for this kind of pest control. the fact that you have stakes available will help you’ll win each time.
Thriving fish reserve
The Christmas tree may be a great and flourishing fish reserve. It can be utilized to create a local river or an inland fish pond. The tree’s weight provides support and acts as an anchor if the tree is submerged in the water. When time goes by it will be apparent that algae are beginning growing on the whole tree stump.
Fish will consume algae, and the tree is a shield against potential predators. But, it’s essential to check with the local authorities if you are able to place your own Christmas trees into a nearby water body or later.
Use your old tree as firewood.
Your Christmas tree makes perfect fuel for your outdoor fire pit. Make use of the pine needles, and twigs for a kindling and then chop the old tree into logs for cooking.
If you plan to fire the tree inside a fireplace or woodstove, you must make sure the tree is properly seasoned to avoid an unattractive, smokey mess on the chimney. Take steps to prevent termites from eating your firewood. Here are several ways how to store firewood to avoid termites.
The common belief is that pine needles should not be used in the indoor fireplace area because it causes an excessive amount of creosote, however it’s perfectly fine (though it’s not the most effective) in the form of firewood so you’ve seasoned it. (So keep the wood slices for make use of next winter.)
Make your own pot feet.
Pot feet, also known as pot risers, raise an outdoor container of plants to help provide drainage, decrease pest infestations and allow air circulation around the plant, and reduce the ugly water spots on your patio, porch or deck.
There are pot feet available made of a range of substances, such as terra-cotta limestone, plastic, and more, or you can create ones by cutting the tree’s trunk into one2 inches- to 1-inch-thick pieces to set under your pots.
It’s only about three to four feet to fill each one, as they’re incredibly simple to build (not to mention, free) You can have an ample supply in your pantry to replace them when they begin to degrade.
Make wood slices for crafting projects
There’s a wealth of art and crafts that make use of wood slice clock, such as coasters trivets and place cards decorations, wall art, jewelry, and much more. A simple look on Pinterest results in thousands of projects that you can make yourself.
If you’re up for a challenge cut all the branches off the xmas trees, and then chop the tree into pieces that are different in thickness (depending upon what you intend to utilize them for). This allows the wood slices to dry quicker and evenly which means you won’t be left in a mess of sap on the projects you’re working on.
Make twig gnomes.
It’s an enjoyable craft to make with your kids during winter months because all you need is a handful of branches from the old Christmas tree and some creativity in the rain! There’s even the possibility of creating the whole town for your twig-loving gnomes by constructing play structures, fairy homes and benches, swing sets and chairs from stones, sticks as well as other treasures from the outdoors.
Ash the garden to make it more fertile
Following a bonfire, you may use the ashes for making your garden fertile. Ash from wood contains potassium and lime as well as other vital nutrients that allow the plants thrive. Thus, you can make compost of the ashes, and begin enjoying the benefits of a lush landscape.
It’s important to remember that wood ash and coal ash are not able to provide the same advantages as those of Christmas trees.
Final
After Christmas, there are a few options for what to do with your real Christmas trees. One option is to recycle it. Many cities offer tree recycling programs where they will collect and mulch your tree. This is an eco-friendly option as the mulch can be used for landscaping purposes.
Another option is to repurpose your tree. You can cut off the branches and use them as mulch or decorations for your garden. Additionally, you can use the trunk as firewood or even create craft projects with the branches. Lastly, you can donate your tree to a local zoo or animal sanctuary, as some animals, like elephants, enjoy eating or playing with the trees.
With these options, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of your Xmas tree even after the holiday season is over.
FAQ
What do you do with your live Christmas tree after Christmas?
After Christmas, there are several options for what to do with your live Christmas tree. One option is to recycle it. Many cities have recycling programs specifically for Christmas trees where they are collected and turned into mulch or compost. Another option is to repurpose the tree. You can cut off the branches and use them as mulch in your garden or as a natural decoration throughout your home.
The trunk of the tree can be used for firewood or even repurposed into various countless craft or DIY projects. If you have a large outdoor space, you could also consider planting the tree in your yard and allowing it to grow for future holiday seasons. Whatever option you choose, it is important to properly dispose of your Christmas tree to ensure it is not wasted and can be used in a new life in an environmentally friendly way.
Can you keep Christmas tree after Christmas?
Yes, you can keep a Christmas tree after Christmas. Many people choose to keep their old christmas trees
up until after the holiday season is over, typically until the beginning of the new year. Some individuals even keep their Christmas trees up until the festival of Epiphany, which falls on January 6th.
However, it is important to note that the longer the tree is kept, the more likely it is to dry out and become a fire hazard. It is recommended to properly dispose of the tree once it starts to show signs of drying out or shedding needles.
Can I save my real Christmas tree?
Yes, you can save your real Christmas tree by taking proper care of it. One of the most important things you can do is to ensure that the tree has enough water. Christmas trees can absorb a surprising amount of water, so it is important to regularly check the water level in the tree stand and refill it as needed.
Additionally, placing the tree away from direct heat sources such as radiators or fireplaces can help prevent it from drying out. Another tip is to use LED lights instead of traditional incandescent lights, as LED lights produce less heat and can help to keep the tree from drying out too quickly. With proper care, you can enjoy your real Christmas tree throughout the holiday season.
