Christmas Day has passed and the question making its way through everyone’s mind is “What am I going to do with that tree?” You may also be asking “How long does my Christmas Tree last?” “When does it become a fire hazard?” and “How do I dispose of it and where?” Have no fear, the answers are here; or at least how to find the answers is here. In short, the answers to these questions are re-use it, not very long, very soon, pretty easily and nearby.
According to Charles Barden, Kansas State University Research and Extension forester, how long your tree will last depends on the temperatures where the tree resides, the amount of water it is given and the type of tree it is. (Shivers, 2001) (1) Although most people keep their tree until the last day of Christmas, on January 6th, if your tree was cut before December 16th, you may have a fire hazard. “We strongly suggest not to keep Christmas trees longer than three weeks” Shivers quotes Bill Loucks, Kansas Forest Service conservation forester as saying. (1)
When you are ready to dispose of your tree, please, do NOT just throw it out with the garbage and definitely do not place it in plastic. Your Christmas tree is a source of organic waste that can be re-used any numbers of ways. If you throw it in the trash, it will most likely make its way to the landfill with the rest of the garbage and if it is in a plastic bag, it won’t make its way back to the soil for over a thousand years (2).
What you can do is contact your local city works department for more information about how to properly dispose of your tree or you can donate it to a public works project. These tend to be “chipped up for mulch, which may be used for public landscaping projects or made available for homeowner use…” “…The mulch provides a protective barrier for the roots of shrubs, trees and flowers while preventing weeds from growing. The mulch then decomposes, providing the nutrients plants need to thrive.” (3) These types of programs seem to be growing quickly so check with your local city works department for more information. “Some communities [also] use Christmas trees to make effective sand and soil erosion barriers, especially at beaches and on river beds.” (3)
Here are links to a few in my area. You can also do a Google search to find yours, simply type your city name followed by the words “Christmas tree disposal”:
City of Pasadena Christmas Tree Disposal:
http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/publicworks/smiwmII/tree_recycling.asp
O.C. Disposal:
http://www.ocregister.com/local/holiday/trees.shtml
Monrovia
http://www.ci.monrovia.ca.us/city_hall/public_works/treerecycle.htm
I have also gathered a few other ideas of things you could do in case you are looking for a more fun or creative way of re-using your tree. The Virginia Cooperative Extension, for example, recommends that your Christmas tree “be placed in the backyard, adorned with bits of bread and suet, and used as a bird feeder. In the spring, the tree could be chipped for mulch or burned for fuel. Farmers with ponds have found that a couple of Christmas trees, properly weighted down, provide good habitat for fish.” (4)
Whatever you decide to do, just remember to enjoy it. These trees are magnificent and it is a waste to seem them used for a few shorts weeks simply to be buried under rubbish. There are so many things that can be done with these beautiful trees. This entry is in no way designed to be all-inclusive. In fact, if you have any other ideas on ways to re-use your Christmas tree, please let me know and I’d be happy to add it.
Of course, you always have the option of using an artificial tree next year or keeping a live Christmas tree and replanting it after the holidays. Here is a link to an interesting article I found with information about replanting Christmas trees. I hope you found this useful.
1) Shivers, L. (2001). Tips for christmas tree disposal. Retrieved Dec. 26, 2005, from K-State Research and Extension Web site: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2001/christmastree_disposal.htm
2) Jessen, M. (n.d.). The bag beast. Retrieved Dec. 28, 2005, from Environmentally Speaking Web site: http://www.nelsonbc.ca/pages/jessen/The_Bag_Beast.htm
3) Recycle christmas trees to benefit gardens, lakes. (n.d.). Retrieved Dec. 28, 2005, from South Carolina Wildlife Federation Web site: http://www.scwf.org/articles/index.php?view=134
4) Johnson, J. E. (1996). Selection and care of christmas trees. Retrieved Dec. 26, 2005, from Knowledge for the Common Wealth Web site: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-641/420-641.html#L3
