Best Reuse Ideas for Your Christmas Tree

This Old House Magazine



When the holidays are over, take down the tinsel, but don't bag the tree. Its needles, boughs, and trunk can do more than hold ornaments. -Jennifer Stimpson

See ALL our clever ideas for recycling your Christmas tree at thisoldhouse.com!


1. Mulch With Needles

Pine needles dry quickly and decompose slowly, making them an excellent moisture- and mold-free mulch for ground-covering crops, such as strawberries, to rest on.

Related:All About Mulch


2. Create a Bird Sanctuary

Place your tree in its stand outdoors. Fill bird feeders and hang them from the boughs, or drape the tree with a swag of pinecones coated with peanut butter.

Related:How to Build a Bird Feeder


3. Insulate Perennials

Cut off boughs and lay them over perennial beds to protect them from snow and reduce frost heaving.

Related:How to Propagate Fall Perennials into Spring Plants


4. Edge Your Borders

Cut the trunk into 2-inch discs and set them into the soil to edge flower beds or walkways.

Related:How to Lay a Gravel Path


5. Shelter Fish

If you live near a lake or have a pond, and your tree's chemical-free, toss branches into the water to provide sheltering habitat for overwintering fish. (Get permission from town officials if needed.)

See MORE ways you can reuse your Christmas tree around the house and garden at Thisoldhouse.com!

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