Nothing is more pathetic than the sight of a discarded holiday
tree dumped by the side of the road after the festivities are
finished and the New Year is upon us. It’s even worse when
the castoff tree is enclosed in a large plastic bag, which delays
decomposition.
There are many ways you can make use of your Christmas tree that
will benefit the birds and plants in your landscape.
Cut branches from the tree can be used to shelter tender plants
from sun and winter wind. See article on Winter Plant Protection
on other side of this newsletter for details.
If you live on a lake or large body of water, the tree can be
sunk in the offshore areas to provide habitat and spawning areas
for fish. Be sure to weight the tree down with a large rock or
concrete block to prevent it floating to the surface.
Secure the tree upright near your bird feeders to provide cover
for visiting birds. Attach pine cones smeared with
peanut butter to make the branches more inviting.
If you have a grinder or chipper/shredder, grinding up the tree
for mulch is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of the
tree. Mulch all your semi-hardy plants heavily with the mixture
to give them a better chance for survival through the long winter
months.
These last steps of caring for the holiday tree that has served
you so well will make the post-holiday
season much more enjoyable and environmentally appealing.