On the Twelfth Night – the last day of Christmas – many of us will be taking down our Christmas trees and leaving them out on the street ready for collection. But did you know these prickly spruces, firs and pines can be used in your garden to help wildlife and save money?
In this guide, we reveal five great ways that you can use your old Christmas tree in the garden.
More winter gardening ideas
How to use your Christmas tree in the garden
Make woodchip mulch
Put your tree through a shredder (you can hire a shredder or chipper, or borrow one from a friend), stack the chips at the back of the garden for a few months to rot down, then use them as mulch around trees and shrubs.
Make climbing frames
To make your garden obelisk, strip the longest, sturdiest branches, store them somewhere dry, then use them in summer to support climbing plants such as beans and hops.
Create a shelter for wildlife
Cut the branches off your Christmas tree then saw the trunk into short lengths. Stack the the branches and logs somewhere in your garden. They're a great refuge for bugs, small rodents and other wildlife.
Make a dead hedge
The branches from your tree (and neighbour’s trees, if you ask) can be woven between vertical posts to create a wildlife-friendly boundary. Ensure there are some gaps for smaller creatures to fit through.
Make a bird feeder
To make your bird feeder, cut a length from the trunk of the tree and drill it with 2cm-wide holes. Stuff a suet and bird feed mix into the holes and hang it in a tree.
More wildlife-friendly gardening ideas
