Hillsborough County – Create a New Family Tradition by Repurposing Your Christmas Tree

If your spouse and children has a reside Xmas tree, a person of your remaining objects on that 12 months-close chore list consists of figuring out how to dispose of it. You likely used cherished time buying out the ideal tree and stood with delight each individual working day staring at its natural beauty, so why permit all that getaway magic go to waste just mainly because the season is above? As a substitute, develop a new family custom by repurposing your stay tree.

Hillsborough County Extension Service offers 4 special ways to re-use your tree though generating loved ones reminiscences and helping the setting, as well.

Four Means to Repurpose Your Dwell Tree

1. Develop a attractive chicken feeder. Your tree can conveniently and quickly be reworked into a bird- feeding station in your lawn. This is the perfect yearly tradition, due to the fact the full relatives can get involved. Initial, make absolutely sure to eliminate all decorations, hooks, garland, and tinsel strands from your tree. Then, get imaginative! Cling contemporary orange slices, string popcorn, or address pinecones with peanut butter and hen seed for the excellent dangling treats. For the duration of these cooler Florida months, area foodstuff supplies for birds can be confined, so this is a fantastic way to assistance hold their tummies complete whilst attracting gorgeous birds for the complete household to enjoy.

2. Provide shelter for local wildlife. A snag, or dead tree, can be a fantastic useful resource for wildlife. Simply just spot your Christmas tree somewhere in your backyard to build a risk-free room for birds and mammals. Snags supply shelter for woodpeckers, owls, squirrels, racoons, and lots of other species. The trunk also generates a food stuff supply for compact and big animals that like to feast on the decaying wooden. Extension recommends checking your property’s deed limits right before inserting the snag in your lawn.

3. Convert your tree into compost. Gardening is a excellent loved ones activity, so why not make it a custom to flip your Xmas tree into compost content to use throughout the 12 months? Composting your tree will produce nutrient-abundant soil, and retain it out of the landfill. You can cut up the tree employing a noticed or chipper. The extra you lower, the faster it will decompose. If you are new to composting, go to a composting workshop with your loved ones taught by Hillsborough County Extension Assistance staff members to learn how to switch your organic waste into nutrient-rich soil. You can obtain a composting workshop that fits your timetable on the Calendar of Occasions.

4. Make your possess mulch. Your Christmas tree can be remodeled into mulch, which can be applied close to your back garden. Mulch aids retain soil moisture, guards crops, and inhibits weed growth whilst supplying your landscape a uniform appearance. You will will need to use a chipper to transform your Christmas tree into mulch. If you don’t have a chipper, Hillsborough County Solid Waste Solutions mulches collected garden squander, and you can select up absolutely free mulch at the County’s Lawn and Wooden Waste amenities.

5. Hillsborough County Solid Squander will dispose of your are living Christmas tree for you. Curbside pickup of are living Christmas trees is readily available by adhering to these measures:

   • Clear away all decorations, lights, and tinsel.
   • Cut the tree into sections no much larger than 4 toes long and 6 inches in diameter.
   • Position curbside on your normal yard waste collection working day.

6. Fall off dwell trees at just one of the next Yard Waste Processing Amenities, right after eliminating all decorations, lights, and tinsel:

   • South County Solid Waste Facility, 13000 U.S. 41, Gibsonton, FL 33534
   • Northwest County Solid Squander Facility, 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33625

For more information about Extension Service, which include assets and situations, check out HCFLgov.internet/Extension.