4 ways to reuse your tree this holiday season
Choosing a real tree for the holidays can be a great, sustainable option. But did you know that how you dispose of your tree afterwards can make a big difference to its carbon footprint?
If you’ve got a pot-grown tree and the space to do so, you could try planting it out in the garden or repotting it into a bigger container and leaving it outside until next year. If your tree has been cut, why not try turning it into something new?
1. Get crafting
Old Christmas trees can provide great base materials for fun craft projects. The wood from your old tree could be used for coasters or candle holders. You could even get ahead on next year’s gifts by making homemade decorations with discs cut from the trunk. There are plenty of ideas to try online so why not get creative this January?
2. Make garden mulch
Shredding Christmas trees to make mulch for beds and borders, or gathering the fallen needles to add to acid-loving plants like heather and blueberries, can be great for the garden. Don't have access to a shredder? Check out local tool libraries or gardening clubs, they may have one you can rent or borrow.
3. Create a nook for wildlife
It’s now more important than ever that we look out for the wee beasties. They are an important part of the food chain for many of our larger species, and wonderful in their own right! Give them a cosy home by stacking logs and bundles of twigs from your tree in a quiet corner of the garden. This will create a valuable mini deadwood habitat for all sorts of wildlife.
4. Recycle your tree
Many local councils organise tree pick ups in the new year, so it’s a good idea to check what the arrangements are in your area. Alternatively, you could compost your tree at home, but do note that you ideally want to shred it first as it can take a long time to break down.
Top tip: shredded wrapping paper or Christmas cards can also be added to the compost heap, as long as they pass the scrunch test (stay scrunched when you crush them in your hand) and don’t contain plastic or laminated materials.
