February 01st, 2016

With the holidays behind us, why not start off the New Year by recycling some of your decorations in the garden?

Christmas trees can be repurposed in several ways.  We usually stand ours next to the garden shed, supported in the dormant branches of the trumpet vine where we hang suet feeders for winter birds. The dense evergreen provides shelter for the birds waiting their turn at the feeders, and dresses up this space next to my small fish pond that provides a source of fresh water. Strategically placed in easy view of the living room window, the parade of bird activity provides a lively view in an otherwise serene winterscape.
Trees can be stood anywhere to create a similar haven for wintering birds; against a tree, wall or fence post. Laid down, they can also shelter rabbits and provide browse for deer.

Another option is to cut the branches from the trunk to use as winter mulch for shrubs, perennials and late-planted bulbs. Add these to any other cut boughs you may have used for indoor or outdoor decorating. I may leave my evergreen-stuffed planters in place for most of the winter, but salvage the greens from swags, wreaths and garland to use those as well.

This year’s mild weather and minimal snow will make this sort of protection particularly beneficial. It’s been possible to continue planting very late. I even tucked in a few spring-blooming bulbs on the Sunday after Christmas, happy to take advantage of 75% off clearance prices.

An ideal snow cover will blanket the ground through most of Winter’s cycles of extreme temperatures. It insulates plants from temperature swings, prevents them from being tricked into waking early then frozen, and from alternating freezing and thawing that can damage tender plant crowns, buds and canes of roses. It also protects those late-planted, but not-yet-rooted treasures from being heaved up and exposed by that freeze/thaw action.

A layer of evergreen boughs laid over the ground or leaned up against shrubs will mimic the effects of the snow, and help to capture and hold any snow we do receive. Use them to cover late plantings, grafted roses, woody-stemmed perennials such as lavender, Russian sage, Artemisia, butterfly bush and blue mist spireas, and shallow-crowned perennials like coral bells.

If you opted for a living Christmas tree rather than fresh cut, You’ll be planting instead of recycling. Ideally you would have dug a planting hole well in advance, stowed the removed soil in a wheelbarrow or bucket in a sheltered spot where it wouldn’t freeze, and covered the hole for safety. This year extended the window for both procrastinators and those who made a last minute decision to use a live tree. After planting, water plants well and cover the disturbed soil with a layer of woodchip mulch up to, but not piled up against, the trunk.

Indoor plants used for holiday decorating can be recycled in one of two ways.  Composting is my preferred method for poinsettias. Beautiful in their season, I inevitably over- or under-water and by New Year’s they are looking pretty rough. A well-cared-for plant can continue to hold its colorful, petal-like bracts (and its leaves) for several months, but they are a project to bring back into bloom for the next holiday and never look as good as a new plant, fresh from the greenhouse.  Christmas cactus, Norfolk Island pines, and trimmed rosemary plants are more easily transitioned into the role of houseplant. Just change out any holiday themed pot wraps and decorations with something that matches your home decor.