New year, new life… which means that Christmas decorations and lighting go back to sleep for several months. And what about the natural pine that was so lovingly chosen that it would be a shame to throw away? There are several ways to recycle Christmas pine in an environmentally friendly way.
Return to origins
If you don’t know what to do with your Christmas pine tree and the last thing you want is to throw it in the trash, think about where you bought it – do they have pine take-backs? When in doubt, contact your local plant and flower nursery to see if they have a pine recycling program.
Again planted
One of the best ways to recycle Christmas pine is to return it to nature, that is, if you have a garden – or know someone who has one – plant the pine again. In addition to being an excellent natural habitat for birds, if it is well cared for throughout the year, you can reuse the pine tree next Christmas.
Underwater
For those who didn’t know, pine trees are also an excellent habitat for fish, especially if they are placed at the bottom of ponds or man-made fountains that do not contain natural underwater structures.
Compost for the garden
All you have to do is have access to an electric saw to break up the pine and reduce it to small pieces that can be used as compost – as a protective layer of the soil, it protects the vegetation from the weather and weeds – just spread the compost all over the garden. , thus protecting and nurturing plants, shrubs and trees. Larger pine branches can be placed directly on the outdoor plants themselves, thus protecting them from the cold and frost.
Floral decoration
Cut the pine branches and use them to make floral arrangements, centerpieces and natural wreaths that, together with other elements of nature (leaves, holly, pine cones, flowers…) can beautify the house for a few more days or weeks. When everything is dry, you can still undo the branches (and even the trunk), keeping these traces to be used as compost outside the house.
Aromatic pine
One of the most creative ways to recycle Christmas pine is to use your needles to create potpourri. When the branches are completely dry (after they have fulfilled their function as a floral decoration, for example) remove the needles and discard them. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, flowers and nuts and you’ve created a perfect potpourri to scent the home with a Christmas scent for the rest of the winter. You can store the excess in glass jars to renew the potpourri.
Natural hanger
Use the Christmas pine tree to create a natural and very original hanger – remove the needles (using them as compost or to make potpourri, for example) and adjust the measurements of the branches. To make it even more beautiful and to match the space where it will be displayed, you can paint and/or varnish the pine trunk and branches to your liking.
