As we ease towards the New Year, the prospect looms of taking down the Christmas tree, unless of course you’re the kind of eager beaver who takes it down on Boxing Day. We all know one.
If you have a fake tree, the most sustainable option is to keep on using it and pass it on if you decide you no longer want it.
But if your tree is a real one, take inspiration from these tips for how to dispose of it sustainably.
• If you’re planning to compost it, shred the tree first to increase the surface area exposed to the composting microbes to speed decomposition. If a shredder is not available, branches can be cut into thumb-size pieces, but these will be slow to compost and it’s easier to donate the tree to the local authority to be shredded into chippings which are then used locally in parks. Local authorities often arrange drop-off points in January. (carryoncomposting.com)
• If you plan to home compost, remember that pine needles are tough with a waxy coating and take a long time to break down. Shred them first if you can and avoid dumping a lot of them in a thick layer. Mix them in with something that encourages airflow such as dead leaves or scrunched up newspaper. You could also make the most of their slow decomposition by sprinkling them over muddy paths. Pine needles are acidic when they fall from the tree but after composting they have a nearly neutral pH. (gardeningknowhow.com)
• Have you ever considered eating your tree? (Yes, you read that right). Fir trees have various edible uses; they can be used in ice-cream, to pickle eggs and vegetables, or crushed to flavour gin or vinegar.
Food experts say the needles can be used like rosemary or bay leaves in cooking, creating a flavour of citrus and pine. They’re also a good source of vitamin C. The wood can be burned to make pine ash, which can be used in gardens and for cleaning.
The baker and food writer Julia Georgallis, author of How to Eat Your Christmas Tree, has been working with Christmas trees for years and says you can virtually eat the whole thing.
She recommends wearing gloves to handle a spruce tree, as they can be spiky.
It’s important to use only organic trees, grown without pesticides. Fir, spruce, and pine are the most commonly bought trees and these are safe to eat but avoid cedar and cypress, which are inedible. Yew trees are poisonous and should never be eaten.
Next Christmas, why not consider renting a tree? Look up local firms that offer this service: you rent a tree in a pot and return it after Christmas to be replanted.