Wondering what to do with your Christmas tree now that Christmas is over?

We know it’s hard, but when January 1...2...or 15 starts rolling around, it’s time to say goodbye to your Christmas tree. But that doesn’t have to mean it’s heading straight for the dumpsters. Instead, we have some pro tips on how to put an old tree to good use. Whether you want to properly dispose of it, recycle it, or reuse your real Christmas tree for yourself, we’ve got the scoop.

P.S. all you fake tree-ers out there, this isn’t for you.

Curbside Pickup for Recycling

City of Lakeland Recycling will recycle your tree for you, so all you have to do is bring it out to the curb for your neighborhood’s usual pick-up day. But to make sure it gets properly recycled, you’ll need to remove the tinsel, garland, tree stand + ornaments from it before bringing it out.

If you follow all these steps, all the trees will be sent to a place called BS Ranch & Farm, where they turn the trees into mulch. The mulch will then be sold and reused for city parks and other operations. In some areas, you can also send your tree to get chipped and then returned back for your own personal garden use.

Drop-off Recycling Center

If you don’t usually get recycling services at your home, you can be a go-getter and drop the tree off yourself at Lakeland’s Recycling Center. Remember that magical time of December where every other car on the street had a freshly cut pine tree tied to the top? Well, imagine a similar scene, but with a flair of Night of the Living Dead Christmas Trees.

Once again, don’t forget to remove the tinsel, garland, tree stand + ornaments from the tree before dropping it off.

Natural Bird Feeders

Give back to Mother Nature by making a natural bird feeder with your old Christmas tree. Simply place the tree in your backyard with some fresh orange garland and stringed popcorn and birds will quickly come and claim their new sanctuary. After a while, the branches will turn brittle and you can easily break them down for garden + mulching use.

Make Your Own Mulch

When you take a tree to a recycling center, they’re going to turn it into mulch anyway. So, why not use it for your own yard and spring gardening? You can use the wood chips and needles to keep the trees in your yard moist during the winter season. Ideally, you could shred the tree (Home Depot stores accept trees for mulching) but usually by the time the holidays are over, the needles will already be falling off. You can spread them in garden beds or over the lawn.

We’ve all bin there. It can be hard to take down your Christmas decor. But whether you’re making a bird feeder or recycling for mulch, we hope your Christmas tree was everything you wanted it to be this year.

Don’t want the hassle? Consider buying a potted Christmas tree next year so you can plant the tree in your yard after the holidays.

- The LALtoday team