Christmas Tree Use After Christmas Newsletter

Dirt Doctor Weekly Newsletter

Managing the Tree after Christmas

It’s time to do something constructive and environmentally correct with the Christmas tree – as opposed to letting it go to the landfill. For a living tree, choose a well- drained spot in the sun, dig a wide ugly hole no deeper than the ball, back fill with soil from the hole only, no amendments, settle the soil with water- no tamping, cover the disturbed area with 1/2″ of compost followed by 3″ of coarse shredded cedar or another native tree mulch. No staking, wrapping or thinning.

If you used a cut tree, take it to a recycling drop off point to be ground into mulch or better still, grind yours at home and use it for mulch around you own ornamental plants. It can also go into the compost pile.

There is an impressive list of tree recycling options that was compiled by Frontier Waste. Props to a private company that offers such a comprehensive list of services in several cities and methods to prepare not only trees but the decorations for disposal or recycling. “Many companies and municipalities offer environmentally friendly ways to dispose of Christmas trees in Texas” – check out the link for more and see if your community is listed.”