Ways to Upcycle your Christmas Tree
By: Isabella Bautista
If you have a knack for gardening, then these tips may be perfect for your green thumb! Pine needles dry quickly and decompose slowly, making them the excellent mulch for growing your ground-covering crops. The trunk also distributes nutrients as the tree decomposes, so if you have a chipper, chip away and toss those wood chips over your garden for a natural fertilizer.
If gardening is just not your forté, there are still other things you can do with your old evergreen! Making coasters (with the optional addition of a hot chocolate) may be a great way to compliment the cold weather. Just cut some thin slabs, sand them, and coat them to make the perfect coaster. You could even use the extra wood to throw into your outdoor fire pit! Try to avoid using them in your indoor fireplaces as it may cause a build up of creosote. |
Alternatively, you could always drop it off at your local recycling center. As an example, some Home Depot locations collect the trees free of charge. Before you cut up your tree, consider leaving it outside as a bird sanctuary for a couple of months to let the wood completely dry so you can avoid gumming up your saw with sap. This year, I plan on making some homemade coasters and crafts with my baby cousins while making some feathered friends! |