Once the holidays are over, it’s time to take down your Christmas tree. If yours was fresh-cut, consider recycling it. Think of it as “re-gifting” it to Mother Earth. Doris Taylor, plant information specialist at The Morton Arboretum shares some simple ideas for giving fresh-cut Christmas trees new uses.

One of the best things you can do is to give it to the birds. “Winter birds appreciate the cover of a tree, especially if decorated with bird food ornaments,” said Taylor. Tie the tree to a stake or post to prevent it from blowing away in winter winds. Or lay the tree on its side and scatter birdseed around it. Just be sure to remove any Christmas decorations, especially tinsel, which can hurt birds if they eat them.

One caveat: Once birds get used to feeding at a spot, they will return to feed for the rest of the winter. If all the food runs out, replenish it or they will go hungry.

If you can’t make that commitment, give your tree to your flowerbeds. Cut up the branches and use them as winter mulch on perennial flowerbeds. “Place evergreen boughs on top of low growing plants for protection, especially in late winter, when freezing and thawing of the soil heaves shallow-rooted perennials out of the ground,” said Taylor.

Or you can pass it down to your peonies. In the spring, use large branches to stake your peonies. Then convert the trunk into a trellis for climbing vines or tomatoes.

Other branches can be dispensed to a winter display. Arrange them in a large container near your door, porch or some other focal point. Add other greenery and decorations, such as barberry, cones, dried grasses, berries and seedpods.

Here’s an idea for recycling multiple trees: Ask your neighbors for their Christmas trees and make temporary windbreaks to shield tender, broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons or young, newly planted evergreens, suggested Taylor. This can work if there’s already a fence, stakes or post nearby that you can tie the trees to. If not, keep it in mind for next year and plan to install stakes next fall.

Another good choice is to send it to the chipper. Many towns have fresh-cut Christmas tree recycling programs where trees are chipped up to make mulch for parks or to give back to homeowners. Sometimes trees can be picked up curbside. Other towns have drop-off locations.

You can find by zip code a list of municipalities or facilities that recycle Christmas trees at www.christmastree.org. If you live in Chicago, you can drop off your tree at one of more than 20 locations. Visit the Streets and Sanitation page at www.cityofchicago.org or call 311 for a list of fresh-cut tree recycling locations.

Glad You Asked

Q. Can I burn my Christmas tree in my fireplace?
A. It’s a bad idea. Dried out Christmas trees burn too hot for home fireplaces. When burned, pine and fir trees produce highly flammable creosote, which can stick to the inside of the chimney and potentially cause a chimney fire. Plus, the high pitch content in bark and needles create intense heat that can send large sparks flying across the room or up the chimney to the roof.

A tree purchased from a lot will not be as fresh as one you cut yourself. Commercial trees are cut early in the season and may lose freshness in transportation and storage. Regardless of the tree you choose, be sure it is fresh.

1. Needles should be firmly attached and pliable. The cut end of a fresh tree should be sticky with sap. The needles should be quite fragrant (fir and white pine have the strongest scent). If many needles are dry and fall off, the tree is not very fresh and should not be purchased.

2. Pines retain their needles the longest, with Scotch and red holding their needles longer than white pine. Spruce drop their needles the fastest. See table below for additional information on needle retention and fragrance.

3. Branches should be full and bushy and strong enough to support your ornaments.

Tell us about your good experiences with cutting and using fresh trees.

COMMON CHRISTMAS TREE SELECTIONS

Species           Needle Retention           Fragrance
Balsam fir very good                  excellent
Comment: Dark green needles, white stripe underside, full bodied shape, stiff branches

White fir very good                  very good
Comment: More loosely spaced branches shows off ornaments well

Fraser fir very good                  excellent
Comment: New favorite Xmas tree, dark green flat needles, strong upturned branches hold ornaments, excellent fragrance

Red pine very good                  good
Comment: Strong bushy branches, 4-6 inch-long needles, retains needles longest of pines

White pine very good                  very good
Comment: Soft, blue/green needles, floppy branches do not support weight of heavy ornaments

Scots pine excellent                   good
Comment: Dark green needles, stiff branches have an open appearance, holds needs longest of pines

Norway spruce good                         good
Comment: Conical shape, 1-inch needles, short needle retention

White spruce poor                         poor
Comment: Blue/green, short stiff needles, short-term needle retention in warm room

Colorado spruce poor                         good
Comment: Dark green to blue needles, needles drop in warm room, stiff branches

Douglas fir very good                  excellent
Comment: One of best aromas, soft medium/dark green needles, firm branches

1. Store tree in a bucket of warm water, in a cool, wind free area, such as an unheated garage, until tree is ready to be brought indoors.

2. Prior to placing your tree in a stand, make a fresh cut in the bottom of the trunk to aid in water uptake. Keep the cut end in water at all times. Check the water level daily; a tree in a warm dry room will go through water rapidly.

3. Avoid placing a tree near hot or cold drafts. These conditions promote needle drop.

4. Flame retardant sprays are available but they do not make the tree fireproof. They can help reduce flammability.

5. Check with your local fire department for their holiday tree recommendations.

A living Christmas tree is a live tree with its own roots still attached. The purpose is to have the tree for the holiday season then plant it outdoors. But it requires advance planning. Proper preparation and care of the tree are essential.

If you have ever done this, let us know. How did it work out for you? Any additional advice?

• In the fall, choose a suitable site in your landscape for the tree.
• Dig the planting hole in the fall before the ground freezes. Remove the soil and place it in an area where it will not freeze. Cover the hole and any remaining excavated soil with straw to prevent freezing.
• Select a balled and burlapped tree with a solid root ball. Keep in mind a smaller tree has a better chance of survival, is less expensive, and will be easier to handle.
• Keep the soil ball moist and store in a cool garage, porch or shed. Place straw or other insulating materials around the soil ball to prevent it from freezing.
• A few days before Christmas bring the balled and burlapped tree indoors, wrap the soil ball in plastic. Place the tree in a cool location; avoid sites near heat sources, such as a fireplace, registers, etc.
• The shorter the tree’s stay indoors, the better its chances of survival when planted outdoors. The maximum stay indoors should be 5 to 7 days. If the tree is kept indoors for a longer period, the buds may break dormancy, and dry indoor heat will cause needles to drop.
• Keep the soil ball moist throughout the tree’s stay indoors. Check the soil daily and water as needed.
• Shortly after Christmas, remove the tree from the house and place it in a cool location. (Don’t place the tree directly outdoors. The sharply colder temperatures outdoors may injure the tree.) A brief stay in a cool garage, shed, etc., allows the tree to become gradually acclimated to cooler temperatures. The soil ball should not be allowed to freeze during this period.
• On a relatively mild winter day, remove the straw from the planting area and plant the tree outdoors. Water well and mulch the area heavily to prevent the soil from freezing immediately.
• Continue to monitor the soil moisture for the rest of the growing season.