Just wondering what your plans are for your old tree this year?
I've seen a few ideas on tinternet and would be interested in your thoughts on them, and any other ideas you can come up with???
-Use needles as a mulch for acid loving plants- or have the whole thing shredded if you can
-Use the dead tree as a feeding station for birds by hanging fat balls, apples, nuts etc ( make sure it's out of reach of local kitties)
-use branches as insulation by laying them over perennial plants
- use the dead branches as starter wood in fire pits in the summer ( don't burn much indoors as the sap produces lots of tar in the chimney)
- if it has roots, pamper it a bit and slowly harden it off before planting it outside- possibly for use next year???
-burn it and use the ash ( make sure you are permitted bonfires first)
- check if there is a local collection point
- create an acid compost bin- using the needles, orange peel etc...it'll take a while to break down , but it's FREE!
- donate it to a goat owner so the goat can eat the needles which act as a natural dewormer ( can cause miscarriage in other species ) and is high in Vitamin C
-they are natural insect repellants ( could be useful to find out more about that- espesh if you have a greenhouse/polytunnel!)
- they can be used in fish hatcheries if you have one near to you
-used to help prevent river bank/shoreline erosion- you'd need to see if there is someone officially involved in doing this locally.
- slice the trunk into rounds and place around the edge of a small border to make it look a bit nicer
- pine needle sachets ( as opposed to lavender ones!)
Well, those are a few ideas!
Please add more !
Apparently only about 10% are recycled at centres , the rest going into landfill...lets see if we can do our bit for the environment folks!
...if any of the above ideas appeal to you, see if you can grab some of your neighbours trees too!
And so- what are YOU intending to do??
Personally I'm going to go down the mulch route.
I've seen a few ideas on tinternet and would be interested in your thoughts on them, and any other ideas you can come up with???
-Use needles as a mulch for acid loving plants- or have the whole thing shredded if you can
-Use the dead tree as a feeding station for birds by hanging fat balls, apples, nuts etc ( make sure it's out of reach of local kitties)
-use branches as insulation by laying them over perennial plants
- use the dead branches as starter wood in fire pits in the summer ( don't burn much indoors as the sap produces lots of tar in the chimney)
- if it has roots, pamper it a bit and slowly harden it off before planting it outside- possibly for use next year???
-burn it and use the ash ( make sure you are permitted bonfires first)
- check if there is a local collection point
- create an acid compost bin- using the needles, orange peel etc...it'll take a while to break down , but it's FREE!

- donate it to a goat owner so the goat can eat the needles which act as a natural dewormer ( can cause miscarriage in other species ) and is high in Vitamin C
-they are natural insect repellants ( could be useful to find out more about that- espesh if you have a greenhouse/polytunnel!)
- they can be used in fish hatcheries if you have one near to you
-used to help prevent river bank/shoreline erosion- you'd need to see if there is someone officially involved in doing this locally.
- slice the trunk into rounds and place around the edge of a small border to make it look a bit nicer
- pine needle sachets ( as opposed to lavender ones!)
Well, those are a few ideas!

Please add more !
Apparently only about 10% are recycled at centres , the rest going into landfill...lets see if we can do our bit for the environment folks!
...if any of the above ideas appeal to you, see if you can grab some of your neighbours trees too!
And so- what are YOU intending to do??
Personally I'm going to go down the mulch route.
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