Reusing Your Holiday Tree
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| It's time for many to take down the live holiday tree. But there are many uses for it in the garden. |
If you have a fresh-cut Christmas tree and fresh boughs, there are some good uses for them after the holidays that will help your garden, the birds, and the environment. If you burn wood for heat, one thing you don't want to do is burn the tree or boughs in your wood stove or fireplace. It will create creosote that can be harmful to your chimney. Here are some ways to reuse your holiday tree.
Bird Feeding Station
Evergreen trees are a perfect place for small birds, such as chickadees, to hide while flitting to and from your bird feeders. However, if you have an outdoor cat, make sure that the feeding station is not just a convenient place for the cat to hide and attack the birds.
Winter Mulch
Most gardeners have already protected their tender perennials and shrubs from winter's wind and cold, but if you still have bare ground around your home, use the holiday boughs as a mulch. Cut off limbs from the tree and place them on top of plants that need some protection. The evergreen boughs will trap snow, which is a good insulator this time of year. If piled high enough, the evergreen needles themselves will protect tender shoots from drying winter winds.
Chip It
Consider going in with neighbors and renting or borrowing a wood chipper. You can all chip your trees, creating wood chips that can be shared for mulch. Many municipalities also offer a place to bring your tree or will even pick it up, chip it, and use the wood chips to mulch town plantings in spring.
Feed the Fish
If you have an unfrozen pond, consider placing some boughs in the water at the pond edge. It will be a good place for the fish to hide and feed.
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