Master Gardeners In the Garden
Eco-Friendly Farewell: Recycle or repurpose your live-cut Christmas tree
By Dana Cook
WSU Chelan/Douglas County Master Gardener
WSU Master Gardeners from Lewis County run recycled Christmas trees through a chipper in 2006. WSU Chelan-Douglas Master Gardener Dana Cook writes about a myriad of options available locally for your live-cut Christmas tree after the big day has passed. – Provided photo/Mary Fran McClure 
Dana Cook – WSU Master Gardener. – Provided photo/WSU Master Gardeners The halls have been undecked. You’ve packed away the last ornament and removed all the tinsel, and the centerpiece of your holiday festivities is now standing there a bit dried out, dropping needles on the carpet. What do you do with your live-cut Christmas tree now?
An estimated 25 million to 30 million Christmas trees are purchased in the U.S., many of which end up in landfills. Here are some eco-friendly options for disposing of or repurposing your live-cut tree:
- Chop your tree into small pieces for your compost pile. Use larger pieces as the base for raised beds or to line your garden. Use the needles for mulch.
- The Boy Scouts will have a “treecycle” event at Stemilt Organic Recycling Center, 1885 S. Wenatchee Ave., on Jan. 4 and 11. Scouts will unload your live-cut Christmas tree for a donation. For Upper Valley residents, Winton Mfg. Compost Works, located about 13 miles up Tumwater Canyon, accepts Christmas trees for a $5 donation that will benefit Upper Valley Connection, a non-profit organization that works with specially-abled individuals and their families.
- Another option is to create a wildlife bed-and-breakfast. Put your tree in your backyard, away from your house, and hang suet balls or bird feeders. If you have a pond on your property, consider disposing of your Christmas tree there to create a refuge for the fish. Please do not dump your tree in any of our local rivers.
- Cut up your tree for bonfire wood. However, do not burn your tree in indoor fireplaces. The sap is flammable, and creosote build-up can pose a threat. Spread the ashes of your Christmas tree bonfire on your garden to add nutrients, including potassium and lime.
- Get crafty with the remaining green needles by storing them in a paper bag to make fragrant sachets. Or, after the tree dries, cut the trunk into 1-inch slices to use as coasters. Varnish them before use. Or decorate these slices to use as ornaments for next year’s tree. Use the limbs to make wreaths or other natural, seasonal decorations.
- Waste Management (WM) will accept live Christmas trees cut into 4-foot lengths and fit into your green bin. The green bins are ultimately emptied at Stemilt Organic Recycling Center.
Be sure to remove all inorganic material, such as ornaments, lights, wire, etc., from the tree before taking advantage of any recycling opportunities. Recycling facilities do not accept flocked trees. Dispose of these in regular garbage.A WSU Chelan and Douglas County Master Gardener column appears weekly in The Wenatchee World. To learn more, visit bit.ly/MGchelandouglas or call (509) 667-6540.
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