What to do with your Christmas Tree after Christmas?
Once the festive period is over, and the decorations have been packed away, your thoughts may turn to what can you do with your real Christmas tree after Christmas? Wanting to start the new year with a tidy, clean space, there are many ways to say farewell to your Christmas tree this January.
A staggering six million Christmas trees are thrown away every year after the festive season, but the good news is that there are many creative ways you can discard of your tree without having the guilt of throwing it in landfill.
Create a natural support
If you leave the tree out on a hard surface such as a patio or driveway and allow for the needles to drop. You can use the needles as mulch for plants in your garden. Once the tree is bare, you can plant the tree as a support in the garden for climbers such as sweet peas.
Shred it with your local authority
Most local councils and some businesses will have a Christmas Tree recycling scheme, where they will collect your tree, shred it and put the chipped trees in a green waste site, resulting in compost that is used to enrich farmland.
Get crafty for wildlife and home
Use the branches to make bird feeders. Simply snip off the branches (use your ARS Professional Bypass Secateurs) cover them in margarine and roll in bird seeds. Wrap string around one end and hang on a branch in the garden. Grab a cuppa, take a seat, and watch the winter garden birds enjoy the tasty treat.
Keep the nostalgic smell of Christmas a bit longer by putting some pine needles in small organza bags and placing them in the back of the wardrobe or in your drawers. These easy scent bags will keep everything pine fresh throughout the remainder of winter.
Leave it to rot
Unlike artificial trees, you can leave your real tree out in a quiet corner of the garden, and it will naturally break down over a couple of years. Cut the tree into sticks and stack in a shaded corner of the garden. The rotting material will make for a great home for wildlife as well as improving the soil for nearby plants.
Long-lasting home décor
A great way to repurpose the tree trunk is to cut it into small circles, sand and polish the tops and they make some lovely, natural coasters. We’d recommend using the ARS Professional Straight Blade Saw for easy cutting. If you have children, make it into a fun activity to paint the tops before sealing them. Use them as coasters or drill a hole in the top, and thread some string through to make some fun decorations for next Christmas.
Plan for next year
If you plan to have a real Christmas tree next year, get a potted Christmas tree. There are some great local schemes which allow you to rent a potted Christmas Tree. You use the tree over the Christmas period, and they collect the tree in January and plant it in a woodland. If you have the space to plant your own tree, look at buying a potted tree, planting it in the garden and bringing it inside each year. Just ensure you do your research on how to look after a potted Christmas Tree inside and outside.
Other garden jobs this January
Add this to the list of jobs you can do in your garden this January. For a guide on garden tasks this winter, check out our January Garden Jobs blog.
