When the holidays are over, take down the tinsel, but don’t bag the tree. Its needles, boughs, and trunk can do more than hold ornaments. Here are creative ways you can dispose of your Christmas tree or recycle it.
10 Things to Do With an Old Christmas Tree
1. Mulch With Pine Needles
Pine needles dry quickly and decompose slowly, making them an excellent moisture- and mold-free mulch for ground-covering crops, such as strawberries, to rest on.
Pine needles offer an advantage over hay mulch, which can contain unwanted seeds that sprout in your garden. As one TOH expert warns, fresh hay used for animal feed is particularly problematic—instead, opt for naturally seed-free pine needles for strawberry beds and other ground crops.
Pro Tip: Linda Whitehead, a professional landscaper in Bainbridge Island, Washington, notes that pine needles work particularly well in annual beds “because the plants will quickly hide the mulch.” She recommends using these less attractive organic mulches in areas where aesthetics are less critical.
2. Create a Bird Sanctuary with the Boughs
Place your tree in its stand outdoors. Fill bird feeders and hang them from the boughs, or drape the tree with a swag of pinecones coated with peanut butter.
For a more whimsical approach, consider crafting a gourd bird feeder like the one featured in TOH Magazine. Cut a good-size opening in a yellow crookneck gourd’s belly, along with holes for berry eyes and twig feet, using a rotary multitool or sharp knife. Scrape out the soft flesh and let the shell dry and firm up before filling with birdseed.
Pro Tip: From TOH’s January 2017 issue: “Edible ornaments are a festive way to catch the eye of cold-weather friends like chickadees and finches, and making these seedy treats is easy.” Mix 4 cups of seed with 2½ tsp. plain gelatin dissolved in ½ cup cold water, blended with 3 Tbs. corn syrup and ¾ cup flour. Press into oiled cookie cutters, using a straw to create a hole for ribbon.
3. Insulate Perennials with the Boughs
Cut off boughs and lay them over perennial beds to protect them from snow and reduce frost heaving.
4. Edge Your Borders with the Trunk
Cut the trunk into 2-inch discs and set them into the soil to edge flower beds or walkways.
5. Shelter Fish with Branches
If you live near a lake or have a pond, and your tree’s chemical-free, toss branches into the water to provide sheltering habitat for overwintering fish. (Get permission from town officials if needed.)
6. Set a Stage for Containers with the Trunk
Saw the trunk into different lengths and use the pieces as flowerpot risers for a dramatic group display.
Pro Tip: Garden designer Welsch, who featured in TOH Magazine, advises: “Placing pots on risers to form a wall of plants turns an uninteresting area of the yard into a remarkable one.” He uses sliced-up tree trunk pieces to vary container heights, placing tall plants in back and short ones in front.
7. Make Coasters and Trivets with Trunk
Cut thin slabs off the trunk, sand them smooth, and apply a thin coat of polyurethane to keep the sap off tables and glassware.
8. Stake Your Plants with Smaller Branches
Strip small branches and use the remaining twigs to support indoor potted plants or stake leggy seedlings.
Pro Tip: Thyrza Whittemore, a homeowner gardener, demonstrates this technique with pruned apple-tree twigs: “Traditional trellises made from twigs look at home in any backyard.” She uses early spring prunings to create sturdy supports for climbing plants like peas.
9. Chip It and Use it to Add Nutrients to Soil
Rent a chipper (get a few neighbors together to split the cost) and feed the tree through it. Next spring, spread the wood chips under shrubs; they’ll suppress weeds and, as they decompose, add nutrients to the soil.
10. Feed a Fire Pit with Branches
It’s fine to use a few of the quick-to-ignite branches to start an outdoor fire pit—but never in an indoor fireplace, where creosote build-up is a hazard.
