If your holiday includes a live, cut Christmas tree, you may be wondering what to do with it after the festivities are over. Many towns, civic clubs and solid waste districts across Vermont now have disposal programs in place. Most offer curbside pick-up of spent trees so long as all decorations, including tinsel, have been removed.
This is a convenient way for you to recycle your tree. If you are not yet ready to give up your tree or are looking for other ways to use it, there are several options to consider. Create a respite for birds.
Move your tree outdoors and decorate with edible “ornaments” that birds and other wildlife can enjoy. You can hang suet in the tree, out of reach of dogs, and make homemade “decorations” of peanut butter-covered pinecones. An outdoor tree feeder can be enjoyable for birds and birdwatchers alike.
Remove branches and use them to cover tender perennials. Branches can help protect your overwintering plants from snow and ice, providing them with a bit of cover and helping to maintain consistent winter temperatures. Rent a chipper on your own or with neighbors.
Chipped mulch is a valuable carbon source for your compost pile. Remember that composting works best when you use about a 3-to-1 ratio recipe with three parts “browns” (carbon sources like chipped mulch) to one part “greens” (like food scraps). Balancing your compost pile with enough carbon will also help keep down odors that may attract unwanted wildlife.
Use as fill for new.
