Recycling Christmas trees: how to give your tree a second life

We have put together for you what you can do with the various components of your Christmas tree and how to plant it out correctly.

Every year spruce lands again (Picea), Fir (Abies) and pine (Pinus) simply in the garbage after the holidays. But that doesn't have to be the case: give your Christmas tree a second life after its loyal service. In fact, with a few tips and tricks, almost every Christmas tree can be recycled and thus protect the environment at the same time. If you have already decided on a Christmas tree with roots in a pot, you can simply plant it out and it will lead a happy life in the garden for years to come. However, felled trees are far too good to be simply disposed of: they can be used to make numerous useful household helpers and decorative objects. Here you can find out how you can use your Christmas tree meaningfully even after the holidays.

Recycling Christmas Tree: New Uses

All sorts of things can be made out of a disused Christmas tree, even if it doesn't seem like it at first glance. Here we explain various ways in which you can recycle your Christmas tree.

1. Bath additive with medicinal properties

A nice full bath is a real treat, especially in the cold winter: You can simply relax in the hot water and unwind in comfort. In addition, such a hot bath can help with all kinds of ailments such as colds and tension. But what does this have to do with your Christmas tree? Quite simply: the essential oils of spruce, fir or pine have an expectorant and relaxing effect and are therefore an ideal bath additive. Boil about 100 g of the needles in water for ten minutes and pour the brew through a sieve into the full bathtub - and you have a great cold and relaxation bath.

2. Spruce and pine needles as tea

Spruce and pine needles not only have a beneficial effect as a bath additive - the two plants also work wonders as a tea. Due to its high vitamin C content and essential oils, tea made from its needles is excellent against cold symptoms and springtime tiredness. For a cup of tea, cut about a teaspoonful of pine needles and put them in the cup (if there is no sediment you can of course put the needles in a filter paper or tea strainer beforehand) and fill the cup with hot water on. After the tea has steeped for about ten minutes, it is ready to be consumed.

3. Defense against snails without chemicals

The old Christmas tree can not only be useful in the house, spruce, fir or pine can also start a second life in the garden. Their needles, for example, are considered to be old Home remedies for snails. To do this, simply keep the needles of your Christmas tree in a dry place and sprinkle them around plants that are particularly vulnerable to snails in spring. Since snails are very reluctant to crawl over the pricking needles, they will prefer to avoid them. In this way, the fir tree helps in its second life to keep the garden free of snails without any chemicals.

4. Turbo for the compost

Anyone who composts their organic waste themselves has certainly been tempted to dispose of their old Christmas tree there. In fact, the branches of the conifer on the compost are a real blessing as they make for better composting. The reason: While kitchen waste (which makes up most of the compost in winter) is very muddy, the large branches and leaves of the Christmas tree provide more structure and thus a better one Ventilation. This accelerates the decomposition and the old kitchen waste can be composted more quickly. But the Christmas tree also ultimately benefits from the kitchen waste - because this ensures that that the dry branches are moistened again and the decomposing organisms work faster can.

5. Frost protection and mulching

How about a second life as a hero of the weak? This dream can come true for the Christmas tree. After all, fir branches have always been a well-known home remedy to protect sensitive plants from freezing cold and fresh wind in winter. Bulbs and perennials that sprout early in particular benefit from this kind of help: Put them down Fir branches in several layers flat on the bed, they reliably protect the sensitive young plants against Frost off. Mulch, which can be made from the branches of the Christmas tree, also protects against the cold. To do this, simply shred the branches to a length of about 4 cm - if this is too strenuous for you, you can borrow a shredder from most hardware stores. Generously distributed in the bed, this layer of mulch not only provides frost protection, but also supplies the soil with new one Nutrients, reduces the evaporation of moisture and also keeps weeds from growing - a real all-rounder.

6. DIY supplies

Are you a passionate hobbyist and do-it-yourselfer? Then with your Christmas tree you have the perfect starting material for new decorations or even new furniture. Conifers are particularly suitable for beginners as they are much softer than oak or beech, for example, and are therefore easier to work with. Among other things, a great clothes rack can be built from the old Christmas tree. The branch axes serve as hooks so that coats, jackets and bags can be hung on different levels. If the trunk and branches are also peeled, sanded and, for example, whitewashed, the old Christmas tree becomes a stylish-looking piece of furniture. You can also use the thicker branches to make wooden buttons for self-made clothing. Simply saw off a few tree slices and remove the bark. With emery paper you can now bring everything into the right shape and then make holes. Finally, you should just rub the whole thing with vegetable oil and let it dry. The individual wooden buttons are ready.

7. Comfortable warmth from the oven

The owners of a fireplace or a stove have it especially nice in winter: With cozy warmth, gentle crackling and a cozy atmosphere, it also sweetens the dark season. Of course, the old Christmas tree is also wonderfully suitable as fuel - sawn into pieces suitable for the oven, it supplies the fireplace with supplies for its warming fire. However, pay attention to the residual moisture content in the wood: Depending on how long the tree has been in the house, it may still have to dry out. The residual moisture content in the wood should always be below 20 percent, otherwise there will be a lot of smoke and the chimney will soot. If the wood is still too damp, it is better to store the cut pieces in a dry place for a while.

Plant out the Christmas tree

If you don't want to just throw away your Christmas tree after the party, you can opt for a Christmas tree in a pot when you buy it. Meanwhile, many sellers also offer their trees with root balls, so that you can simply plant out the fir, spruce or pine after Christmas. But caution is advised when buying: many trees are only cut and put in the pot shortly before they are sold. This often damages the root ball and makes it much more difficult to grow in the garden. Therefore, check the firmness of the root ball before buying. If this crumbles, there is a high probability that it is a gutted tree that will not grow well in the garden. You should also refrain from the famous Nordmann fir. Since this only forms tap roots that reach deep into the earth, it is species-appropriate growth not possible in the bucket - the tree is therefore very likely to perish after planting.

Once the Christmas tree is in the house, particular care should be taken here, because only a healthy tree can be planted out well later. The most important thing is to choose one high quality potting soil for the plant: Even if conifers are considered to be quite undemanding in nature, good potting soil can significantly increase the chance of successful planting. On the one hand, high-quality soils already contain (depot) fertilizer, which supplies the Christmas tree with sufficient nutrients so that it does not have to be fertilized additionally. On the other hand, the soil structure is better, so that the irrigation water can be stored well. It is best for the Christmas tree if it stands as briefly as possible in the warm living room. You should also ensure that there is a good water supply: watering must be carried out about every two days so that the pad does not dry out. Spraying the needles with water helps prevent them from falling off due to the dry heating air.

If the tree has survived Christmas well, it is time to prepare it for its second life: place First move it to a cool but frost-free place so that it can slowly get used to the climatic conditions can. Nevertheless, the Christmas tree should still be watered, even if not quite as often as in the warm apartment. After about 14 days, he can finally move into the garden - as long as the weather permits. At temperatures below freezing it is advisable to keep the tree indoors a little longer. Loosen the soil properly in the desired location and mix in compost or a slow release fertilizer like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer so that the tree is supplied with sufficient nutrients at the beginning. When potting, take special care not to damage the delicate roots of the Christmas tree. A thick layer of mulch can also protect the sensitive roots from cold and drought - so your Christmas tree can grow and flourish in peace.

Planting out a Christmas tree: summary

Do you want your Christmas tree to grow into a stately conifer in the garden? Here you will find a summary of all the steps from purchase to planting out.

1. Pay attention to the root quality and variety when buying
2. Provide the Christmas tree in a pot with high-quality potting soil
3. Leave as short as possible in the warm apartment
4. Water every two days in the apartment and spray needles with water every day
5. Allow to acclimate for about 14 days in a cool, but frost-free room before planting out
6. Only plant out in a mild climate
7. Loosen the soil well and mix it with humus or compost
8. Do not damage the roots when potting
9. Spread a layer of mulch as protection against cold and drought

Dispose of the Christmas tree properly

If you don't have the time or the inclination to recycle your Christmas tree, you don't have to have a guilty conscience: there are now many good offers and opportunities where you can easily dispose of your Christmas tree, but still give it a second life enables. Wildlife enclosures, zoos, foresters or equestrian centers often gratefully accept the old Christmas trees. Here the trees are used for feeding and keeping the animals busy and thus still serve a good purpose.

However, you should make sure that the tree is completely adorned and has not been chemically treated. Some organizations such as the rural youth or scout groups even pick up the trees for a small donation right in front of the front door. While the money flows into various aid projects, the trees are kept for the next Easter bonfire and donate warmth and comfort there.

Those who neither have a zoo nearby nor an organization that accepts the trees should Your old Christmas tree is best at a recycling center or a collection point for green waste hand over. Here the fir trees are mostly chopped up and composted. Under no circumstances should you dispose of your Christmas tree in the nearest forest: Not only the trees decompose extremely slowly, and there is also a hefty fine of up to 100 euros per tree.

If you want to save yourself the recycling of the Christmas tree and are interested in a more sustainable alternative, our article on Christmas tree in the pot find it.