If you’re planning to get a real Christmas tree this year, you’ve probably given some thought to what you’re going to do with the tree after the holiday season ends. While artificial trees just get stored away in the closet or attic, real trees need to be disposed of in a different way. In the Knoxville area, you can drop off your Christmas tree for the city’s green waste program, or you could repurpose your Christmas tree to help protect your garden, provide shelter for local birds, or even keep you warm! Keep reading to find a few ideas on how you can best reuse your tree this year. 
Local Option For Getting Rid Of Your Christmas Tree in Knoxville
If you’re looking for an easy, hassle-free way to dispose of your Christmas tree after the holiday season, you’re in luck. Knox County offers Christmas Tree recycling at several locations after the New Year. Recycled Christmas trees become green waste, and along with other logs, tree branches, stumps, leaves, and yard waste, will be ground up and processed into mulch. This process keeps these items from going to waste in landfills, where they can spontaneously catch fire if there is a large quantity buried at one time.
Reusing Your Tree In Your Yard
- Use a wood chipper or mulcher to turn your Christmas tree into mulch or compost for your garden. Mulch is especially valuable for your garden during the winter, as it can insulate your plant’s roots and protect them from the cold winter temperatures. If you can’t get access to a machine that can process your tree into chips or mulch, laying cut branches around the base of your plants can work just as well!
- Cut up your tree and use it for firewood when camping or when having a bonfire outside. You shouldn’t ever burn the leftovers from your tree inside, as the high sap content in evergreen trees can create a fire hazard in a wood stove or indoor fireplace.
- Arrange your tree and some cut branches in your yard to create a habitat for wild birds. Creating a shelter like this will not only help you reuse your Christmas tree but will also attract all sorts of winter birds to your yard so you can enjoy some bird watching!
- Branches or boughs from your tree can also be used to protect broad-leaved evergreen shrubs from the harsh winter sunshine and any pests that like to chew on the bark of these plants.
- Burn the wood from your tree and spread the ashes in your garden as fertilizer. Wood ash has important nutrients like potassium and lime and can even help to repel bugs!
- Sinking your tree or portions of it in your pond can create a fish feeder. The tree’s weight will hold it under the water, and over time algae will start to grow on the tree, and it will become a protective haven for fish while they’re feeding.
Other Ideas For Repurposing Your Christmas Tree
- If you used a Christmas tree that has a strong scent, reuse the needles to fill small fabric sachets for your drawers and closets to keep them smelling fresh.
- Cut the trunk of your tree into about one-centimeter thick pieces and use them as coasters to make hanging ornaments or a variety of other crafts.
- Use cut branches as greenery to decorate your home.
For All Your Tree And Shrub Needs in Knoxville, Call Emerald Island Lawn Service
Unlike your Christmas tree, the trees and shrubs in your yard are there to stay. Because they can be such a big investment for your Knoxville property, you need to make sure they are getting the best care and have all of the nutrients they need to be happy and healthy. The professionals at Emerald Island Lawn Care have the solution: a comprehensive tree and shrub care program that is tailored to your specific plants and their needs. Our treatment program includes fertilization, horticultural oil treatments to curb overwintering insects and other pests, and regular evaluation and maintenance to ensure your plants are thriving.
Visit our website to see more information on our tree and shrub care program, our lawn care services, or our mosquito control options. Fill out our contact form online or give us a call at 865-588-4497 to get started scheduling your services today. And don’t forget to keep reading our monthly blog for more helpful articles on taking care of your Knoxville home and lawn!