Less than a month ago, most people had only just got their Christmas Tree. Nostalgia, excitement and that unmistakable smell of a tree in your lounge, has now given way to an empty room, and a bare, balding tree still bedecked with the odd bit of tinsel, sat outside, awaiting its rather inconvenient, sad fate.
But how can you dispose of your Christmas Tree? There are a number of options – none of which would involve burning on your wood burning stove however.
Contact a charity – There are charities, which will collect your tree for a small donation. This can be a great way to say addios to your festive friend, while doing your bit for charity. Once the trees have been collected they will be recycled.
Recycle it – Many recycling centres around the UK will take your tree, which you can usually deposit in the “timber” area, or if you are unsure, ask a member of the team there. Some local councils will be able to collect your tree, this does vary from council to council so it is best you check.
Replant it – You don’t need to say goodbye to your tree if you don’t want (as long as it has roots!). Although there are a number of things you must take into account – it should not be kept in doors any more than 10 to 12 days, when selecting a place in the garden, make sure it is open to sunlight, and not somewhere, where strong winds could up-root it. Loose non-clay soil is best for drainage.
Chop it up – If you have a chipper you can turn your tree into wood chips, which can be used around the garden, or simply placed into your recycling.
Reasons why you should not burn your Christmas Tree:
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- Dried needles from a tree can burn very quickly and if you are burning on an open fire, they can produce sparks, which can land on furniture in your room. Also these sparks can go up your chimney and ignite any debris in your chimney or if they go far enough up, they can escape out of the chimney are cause a fire hazard for surrounding areas by your chimney.
. - Many Christmas Tree varieties have a high sap content, which can cause lots of popping and cracking.
. - If you have watered your Christmas Tree it could very well have a moisture content well above the maximum recommended 20%, and so burning will create lots of smoke and creosote, and will produce an inefficient heat. On the other side of the scale, if your tree is very dry, it will burn ferociously fast. Both far from ideal.
. - Creosote will congest a flue, increase the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning, and blacken the window of your wood burning stove.
