What does one do with an old Christmas tree? Here are some suggestions.

Any living tree should go into the ground as soon as possible. The prudent gardener would have chosen its future planting site when the ground was warmer and softer, and dug a hole for the root ball (covering it with old plywood so nothing could fall in).

That gardener would have imagined the ultimate height and breadth of the tree and allowed room for it to spread wide and tall – and not in front of a house window. Most will need plenty of good sunlight. After planting, the tree will need extra watering for several weeks, especially if days and nights are dry.

Some folks haven’t thought about the future planting until after Christmas, and then, in haste, stuff the poor tree into a hole without noticing where it’s being placed. One such setup stood in front of the house; a new tree was added every year and the random, assorted planting will, I think, grow up to hide front windows in a sort of thicket.

Plastic trees will need dusting or vacuuming before storing in attic or cellar.

Cut, local evergreens may still be useful. Remove as much tinsel as possible so as not to scare winter birds. Any garlands of popcorn or cranberries may be left for birds to enjoy.

If there’s snow, stand the tree in a snowbank, especially where it can be seen from a window, so people indoors may watch the winter wildlife drama.

A line of trees (begged from friends and neighbors) may be stuck in snow for a windbreak.

Old Christmas trees may be used as mulch, to protect early-flowering shrubs like forsythia from late-winter frosts. Or lay a tree across a garden bed left bare after summer.

Other uses include setting one or more trees across a slope to brake the flow of spring rains and cut down on soil erosion.

One may also cut the branches from that seasonal Christmas symbol to lay over beds of perennials. With a chipper, the rest of the tree may be ground into material for mulch piles or to spread on muddy paths.

Vermont is one state which grinds citizens’ old Christmas trees into Merry Mulch. Wreaths and any decorative tinsel, metal or class balls are not accepted in this recycling project.

I used to take my trees to some llama friends. I understand that goats also relish those twigs.

Those suggestions should encourage readers to recycle, in one way or another, that tree which brought such joy and excitement at Christmas.

Happy New Year!