Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Christmas is over, the egg nog has gone, the relatives have departed... and you're left packing up the lights and ornaments and wondering what to do with the Christmas tree.

Here are some tips on what to do with your live tree as the holidays draw to a close:

• Removing the tree: The best way to avoid a mess removing your tree is to place a plastic tree bag underneath the stand when you set the tree up! You can hide it with a tree skirt. Then, when the holidays are done, pull the bag up around the tree, stand and all, and carry it outside. You will want to remove the stand before recycling the tree. If some needles do scatter inside, it is better to sweep them up; as needles can clog vacuum cleaners.
• Soil erosion barriers: You can use Christmas trees to make effective sand and soil erosion barriers.
• Fish feeders: Sunk into private fish ponds trees make 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. Eventually (within a year) the branches will become brittle and you can break the tree apart by hand.
• Mulch: A Christmas tree is biodegradable; its branches may be removed, chipped, and used as mulch in the garden.
• Living, rooted trees: Of course, next year, you could get a rooted (ball and burlapped or containerized) tree and then plant it in your yard after Christmas.
• Important: Never burn your Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove. Pines, firs and other evergreens have a high content of flammable turpentine oils. Burning the tree may contribute to creosote buildup and risk a chimney fire.