Christmas has come and gone, and that means before too long it will be time to take down the ornaments and haul your Christmas tree out to the curb. But if you don’t want to send your tree to a landfill this year, there are a number of other ways you can reuse it as well. It might be too dry to keep inside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put it to good use in your lawn and garden.
Make Fresh Mulch
One of the easiest and most effective ways to reuse a Christmas tree is to rent a wood chipper and turn the tree into mulch for your garden. Fresh mulch can help to prevent weed growth in the spring, and over time it will decompose and create nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants.
Insulate Flower Beds
The boughs of your Christmas tree can help insulate perennial flower beds and protect them from snow and frost damage. All you have to do is cut the boughs off the tree and lay them over your flower beds to keep them warm during the winter.
Give Birds a New Home
Not all birds fly south for the winter. Chances are, there are a few looking for food and shelter in your yard right now. A Christmas tree can serve as an ideal sanctuary for these birds during the coldest months of the year. Just place it outside in its stand and replace the ornaments with bird feeders. You can even make your own decorative feeders with pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed.
If all else fails, you can always take your tree to a recycling center! Depending on where you live, your local recycling service may even offer curbside pick-up in the weeks following Christmas.
