Your Christmas tree can have a second life — as compost and mulch. The Sanitation Department will collect trees left on the curb during a prescribed period and recycle them. Or you can participate in “Mulchfest” on Jan. 7 and 8. Learn more below.
From the Sanitation Department:
Composting: Weather permitting, DSNY will collect and compost clean Christmas trees left at the curb from Tuesday, January 3, 2017 through Saturday, January 14, 2017. The trees are chipped, mixed with leaves, and recycled into rich compost for NYC’s parks, institutions, and community gardens. Remove all lights, ornaments, stands, and plastic bags from your tree; trees that still have these items attached will be collected as garbage.
Recycling: Remove ornaments from fake trees that are mostly metal or rigid plastic, and put out next to your recycling container on regular recycling days.
Garbage: Except for the dates indicated in early January, Christmas trees are collected as garbage. Discard fake trees that are not mostly metal or rigid plastic with regular trash.
Mulchfest from NYC Parks:
You can bring your tree to a chipping location on January 7 and 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We’ll chip your tree, and give you your very own bag of mulch! Find locations (including some in Central and Riverside Parks) and more info here.
Photo via NYC Parks.
already seeing the trees out on the sidewalks
I just throw mine out the window. I do look to make sure no one is approaching on the sidewalk so it doesn’t hit anyone. Within 24 hours it’s gone.
Mark, I am so pround that you look to make sure no one is coming before you toss your tree out the window. I am hoping that your comment was made in jest. If so, good one. If not, check your meds.
People should buy small trees that can be kept as decoration or replanted after the holiday. stop cutting down trees!!!!
Christmas trees are grown on farms like vegetables or flowers. No forest trees are lost in the process.
Also, I do not think you can replant a tree that does
not have roots.
We live in NYC. Where would we replant all these trees?
I think mulching and spreading the resultant compost onto city gardens is a great thing. However, I hope the city uses it judiciously. You can spread acid compost on your narcissus and tulip bulbs and expect very good results.
I wonder if mixing the evergreen compost with leaf mulch evens things out
Oops. I meant to say “you can’t spread acid mulch” on a flower garden and expect very good results. Sorry about that.
dtillyer
That’s great! Much better than dumping in the garbage. Let’s do it!
waiting for someone to say,
“Thanks, DeBlasio”