Repurposing Christmas
trees benefits environment
Brian Jervis: Ask a Master Gardener
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Q:
Can my Christmas tree be placed curbside with my trash for city pick-up?
R.M., Tulsa
A:
Yes, the city of Tulsa
will take your Christmas tree, along with your trash on your regular pick-up
day. They do recommend the tree be 6 feet in length or less and suggest cutting
it up, if your tree is longer.
However, there are several other options for
your tree that are more environmentally friendly than sending them to the trash
to be burned.
They may be used for a bird shelter, mulch for
your garden beds, submerged in a fishing hole, shredded, or taken to the Tulsa
Green Waste site.
Trees may be shredded into mulch in a couple of
ways. All of these methods involve removing all tinsel and other decorations
beforehand.
First, Southwood Landscape and Garden Center,
9025 S. Lewis Ave., and Owasso Tree and Berry Farm will take live-cut trees and
recycle them for either mulch or fish shelters. You need not have bought your
tree from these businesses for them to accept it.
Another way to recycle your tree, if you are
able, is to take it to the city of Tulsa’s Green Waste Site. It is located at
2100 N. 145th East Ave. and is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
closing only on city holidays. The service is free with proof of Tulsa
residency. At the green waste site, you may also obtain all of the free
woodchip mulch you may need. In addition, free firewood is available.
Birds need sanctuaries from the cold and
predators in winter. Christmas trees near a feeder offer a great refuge until
spring and trees begin leafing out. You can also help them out by placing
treats such as peanut butter and suet on the limbs for a high energy source.
This would be an interesting project for a child.
Recycled Christmas trees also work well
submerged into a lake or pond as a fish shelter. These piles of trees are
productive for certain types of fish. This is especially true for attracting
crappie.
The smaller limbs and fronds can be removed and
be placed in the garden bed as a green mulch. After removing the limbs, the
remaining trunk can be used as a stake in the garden. The limbs used as mulch
will decay over time, and you will reap not only the benefits of a mulch, but
also the nutrients they release onto the soil.
These limbs also may be added to your compost
pile as a source of green material to help balance the brown material such as
leaves. Green (nitrogen source) and brown (carbon source) are needed by the
microbes that break down the material. For those new to composting, OSU has an
informative fact sheet, HLA-6448, “Backyard Composting in Oklahoma,” available
with an online search or from the OSU Tulsa Master Gardeners website.
Garden tips
§ Don’t forget to keep the compost pile watered.
The decay process to produce garden-friendly compost continues in winter if the
pile is large enough and kept watered and turned.
§ Cover strawberry plants with a mulch about 3-4
inches thick if plants are prone to winter injury.
§ Wait to prune fruit trees until late February or
March.
§ Wilting and drooping of leaves on evergreen
trees and shrubs is common when the temperatures drop low. This is a way pla
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