Christmas has past, the decorations are all put away, and you’re now settling in for a “long winters’ nap” full of frigid, windy nights. You’re nice and cozy but what about your fine feathered friends and the small cuddly critters that frequent your backyard? One way to keep them as cozy and secure as you is to provide them with some well-needed shelter from a cut evergreen tree. Your gift to them will not only provide protection from predators but will also keep them sheltered from the elements. Read on to see how to make spent Christmas trees ecologically friendly.
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Suggestions to Make Christmas Trees Ecologically Friendly
1. Instead of kicking the tree to the curb and having it end up in a landfill, prop it up in your backyard. Tie it securely with twine to a fixed support, preferably close to a hanging bird feeder.
Christmas trees are considered “carbon sinks”. This means that as they grow, they capture CO2 from the atmosphere and deposit it in their roots, limbs, needles, and trunks.
When a tree is dumped into a landfill, it is attacked by bacteria that causes the tree to ferment. This fermentation will eventually create and release the CO2 and begin to emit methane and carbon into the atmosphere, both of which contribute to drastic climate change. Instead, use it for shelter.
This practice supports the environment by allowing birds and other helpful critters stay alive through harsh and not so harsh winters. It also adds a beautiful addition to your winter yard. Many birds will be lured to this oasis. Watching the birds can be fun and educational for you and your children by identifying the birds in your area and understanding their habits. The Cornell Lab on ornithology has many lessons for you to follow and they are free.
2. Adorn it with birdseed ornaments and watch the birds enjoy the treat!
Recipe for Birdseed Ornaments from One Little Project:
Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups Birdseed (the smaller the seed the more it will adhere)
- 2 packages unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 cup water
- 12 cookie cutters (Shop from Etsy)
- 3 drinking straws or wooden dowels from Amazon
- twine
Instructions:
1. add 1/2 cup cold water to a large bowl
2. pour 2 packages of unflavored gelatin into the water
3. pour 1/2 cup hot water into gelatin and water; stir until dissolved
4. add corn syrup and stir until you cannot see swirls of it any more
5. add the birdseed and mix well
6. place the bowl into the refrigerator for 10 minutes. WARNING: DO NOT LET IT STAND FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES! THE GELATIN WILL CONGEAL TOO MUCH! TRUST ME, I KNOW!!!
(If you happen to keep it in the refrigerator too long and it has hardened, microwave the bowl to soften it. It should feel like thick maple syrup when stirring.)
7. place your cookie cutters onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper
8. fill the cutters with spoonful’s of seed
9. press firmly with back of spoon to fill in gaps of seed
10. press in the drinking straws perpendicular to the seed but NOT TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE!
11.place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator over night
12.remove the ornaments from the cutters by carefully pushing them out starting with the sides touching the metal cutter. Gently pull out the straw.
13.thread the twine through the hole and tie the ends in a knot or pretty bow. SUGGESTION: USE A SQUARE KNOT TO SECURE THE TIE
I was away for a few days after I had placed the ornaments on the tree and when I returned, they were all gone! Although, I’m not sure if the birds had a feast or the squirrels!!
3. Lay the tree on a pile of leaves for the winter. This will bring much needed shelter for squirrels, birds, rabbits, chipmunks, etc. and allow it to naturally decompose.
This is equivalent to a spa-like bedroom for critters!
4. Cut off the limbs and use them as fillers for flower arrangements.
Evergreens such as pine, Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir, and Douglas Fir are amongst the most fragrant. They contain chemical compounds called terpenes in addition to alpha-pinene and beta-pinene. Limonene and bornyl acetate are also found in conifers which add to their lovely plein-air aroma. For more of an in-depth explanation of terpenes, click Earth.com.
5. After the tree has dropped its needles, use them as mulch in your garden.
Yes, pine needles are acidic. But after they slowly breakdown, they add much needed organic matter to the garden. In addition, the layer of needles acts as a blanket to tamp down and prevent tiny weed seedlings from germinating and also helps with moisture retention. One other benefit of using needles in your winter garden is to keep the soil at a relative temperature so as to not harm roots of flowers and shrubs.
6. Add spent Christmas trees to your compost pile to make them ecologically friendly.
As stated above, evergreen needles are rich in acid and could temporarily change the pH values in your compost pile. However, this only occurs in the beginning. Once they finally decompose, the pH will become balanced again and you will have excellent fertilizer next season. Remember to balance your compost by adding the proper “browns” and “greens” to your pile. Slow decomposition of plant material allows the carbon to sink into the ground and not be released into the atmosphere.
One trick to help them decompose more quickly is to cut the needles, especially pine needles. They are covered with a waxy coat which prevents microbes from penetrating the needle which is required for decomposition. Once the needles are cut, the microbes can enter the needle at the cut point and begin doing their thing!
For more on how to compost, click here.
7. Get some exercise and cut up the dried limbs and tree trunk into smaller sizes and then grind them into mulch.
One important way to make spent Christmas trees more ecologically friendly is by grinding them into 1 to 2 inch size pieces of mulch. You won’t have to buy as much mulch the coming season and you’ll be doing your small part to save the Earth. Click here for an electric wood chipper from Amazon.
Mulch added to flower and vegetable beds, walkways or around the base of trees helps create a barrier to prevent weeds from growing. As it slowly decomposes it adds important nutrients to the ground, keeps carbon fixed in the soil rather than being dispersed into the atmosphere, and helps maintain moisture in the soil below.
8. Recycle your tree through municipal programs.
If you choose not to follow any of the above suggestions, research your town or surrounding towns for recycling of Christmas tree programs. They collect the tree (or you may have to bring it to the site) and process it into useful mulch for local gardens and parks.
In Conclusion/Making Spent Christmas Trees Ecologically Friendly
You have numerous options for disposing of your spent Christmas tree.
- Add it to your landscape for critters to use as shelter.
- Create your own birdseed ornaments and adorn your tree with them.
- Place it in the back of your property for decomposition and shelter for animals.
- Use limbs as fillers for flower arrangements.
- Use the needles for mulch in your winter gardens.
- Add them to your compost pile.
- Use your muscles to chop and grind them into mulch.
- Recycle your tree through a municipality program.
By performing tiny acts, you can help mitigate the effects of climate change. It just takes one person, then another, then another and before you know it, our Earth will begin to heal itself. As Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon back on July 20 of 1969, said “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Let’s all do our part!
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Happy Gardening!
Nina
Bestgardeningforbeginners.com
bestgardeningforbeginners@gmail.com