If you cut down or bought a real Christmas tree early in the festive season, chances are it will be looking well past its used-by date in early January.
In many parts of New Zealand, people will take to their old tree with a saw and burn it on an open fire, or shred and spread it onto their garden (but be warned - not all plants appreciate pine chippings as it can make the soil more acidic).
But what if you're an urban-dweller with neither the tools nor a place to chuck it afterwards?
Here's how to dispose of your Christmas tree without causing an eyesore.
You definitely shouldn't put the tree in your general waste or recycling bin. Some councils used to offer berm-side pickup in January, but this is no longer the case.
In Christchurch, the city council suggests residents chop up the tree and put it in their green organics bin, or take it to an EcoDrop transfer station in Bromley, Wigram or Redwood (charges may apply).
Some transfer stations in North Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury will take Christmas trees for a fee. Check opening hours and locations.
Many Christmas tree farms offer a disposal service.
And if you’ve grown tired of your fake tree but it is still in good condition, you can take it to an EcoDrop recycling centre so someone else can use it. But if your fake tree has lost its sparkle, dispose of it in the red kerbside bin.
Misa in the Auckland suburb of Balmoral is accepting drop-offs most Friday evenings from 3 January through to 31 January.
There is a $15 for this service and there are no drop-offs outside those hours. The tree is taken to Puketutu Island and turned into compost.
If you bought your tree from a reputable seller, check to see if they will take it back in January.
Otherwise, put it in your garden waste bin or bag. This is a paid service, and not all accept Christmas trees, so check with your provider first.
If your Christmas tree seller does pickups, don't leave it on the berm or kerbside - it has to be inside your property.
Illegally dumped trees in neighbourhoods, parks or waterways should be reported to your local council.
Tip Shop Wellington is taking all Christmas trees for free at its recycling centre at the Southern Landfill in Owhiri Bay until 20 January. In a post on social media, Wellington City Council said it received 5000 trees each year, which were turned into about 1000 40-litre bags of organic compost.
And if you're anywhere near Palmerston North, you can take your tree for free to the Awapuni Resource Recovery Park until the end of January, where it will be recycled and turned into compost for the city's parks.
Creative uses for your old Christmas trees
- Feed your outdoor fire pit: It is perfectly fine to cut up and use your old tree as firewood in your outdoor fire pit. The branches are great to help start your fire. But do NOT use any kind of wood with sap in your indoor or outdoor fireplace as it is a major fire hazard.
- Chip it: Pitch in on renting a wood chipper.
- Make homemade coffee table coasters: Cut thin slabs off the tree’s trunk, sand them down smooth and apply a thin glossy coat of polyurethane to them. This coating will help keep the sap off your tables and glassware.
- Creative solutions: Have your kids roll pinecones, found in the yard or you can by some at any craft store, in peanut butter and bird seed. Place your tree, in its stand, outdoors in the back yard. Have the kids tuck all the yummy birdseed covered pinecones in the Christmas tree to create bird sanctuary for them to enjoy through the winter months.
- Protect the veggies: Over the winter your veggie garden appears barren and blah. A nice way to make it more appealing until the spring planting months is to create a blanket from the evergreen needles and branches. The needles dry quickly and decompose slowly making them an excellent moisture and mold free covering for your winter vegetable garden.
- Insulate your perennials: Another alternative for those Christmas tree branches and needs is to protect the roots bases of your hidden perennials. By laying the branches over your cut back perennials you are protecting them from snow and reducing the amount of exposure to heavy frost.
- Plant bed borders: Carefully cut the tree trunk of your Christmas tree into 5cm discs and set them on edge into the soil along the perimeter of your planting beds. This adds a decorative touch to your wintering flowering beds.
- Fish habitat: If you live near a lake, pond or waterway your chemical-free Christmas trees can be used to hide fish from predators. But don’t dump your tree in any water system without checking with your local council first.
Additional reporting - Star News
