Recycling Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

There are a number of options you can use to dispose of and recycle your Christmas tree after the holidays. Here are some options you can use to recycle your Christmas tree.

1. Turn your tree into a city of county recycling program. Many cities have recycling services for old Christmas trees. Many of these cities offer curbside pickup making it easier on you to recycle your tree. Check for tree collection schedules. Many run for up to two weeks after Christmas.

2. Let a non-profit collect the tree from your home. There may be a nonprofit organization, such as a boy scout troupe, in your area that will pick up your old Christmas tree for recycling. Some may charge a fee or ask for a donation.

3. Take old Christmas trees to the recycling center. If you can't get someone to pick up your used Christmas tree for recycling, you can take the tree to a drop off place within your city or county. Depending on the municipality, the drop of center may take the tree for free.

Here are some uses for a recycled Christmas tree:

Garden mulch. Many cities and counties have a tree recycling and mulching programs to turn old Christmas trees into garden mulch. The branches are removed and chipped. Check with your local program for guidelines on its recycling program and what you must do to get the tree prepared. You can also chip the branches yourself if you have a chipper or can borrow one from someone. If you have a garden, you'll have plenty of mulch for your spring planting.

Barriers for soil erosion. Communities that are near lakes and rivers, sometimes use old Christmas trees as soil erosion barriers long the shoreline. This helps build up a soil erosion barrier.

Plant the tree. If you get a tree that has the root ball on it, you can plant it in your garden after Christmas. Be sure to dig a hole for the tree in the fall while the ground is still soft. Plant the tree right after Christmas to ensure its survival. If your tree doesn't have a root ball, this is something to keep in mind for the next holiday season. You get two uses out of the tree. And it makes for a fun family project.

Word of warning. One thing you don't want to do with an old Christmas tree is to burn it in a fireplace. The tree, be it a fir or pine, will have a lot of turpentine oil, which is flammable. You could end up having a chimney fire if you burn evergreen tree wood.