DATE:     12/21/00
WRITERS:  Candace Cummings, (864) 656-3876, Clemson Extension wildlife
          specialist
          Dr. David Bradshaw, (864) 656-4949, Clemson Extension 
          horticulturist
          Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604, Clemson Extension consumer
          horticulturist                     
EDITOR:   Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876

                              
Kids, rabbits and mulch:
Three ways to recycle Christmas trees

     CLEMSON -- After the glow and excitement of Christmas is 
over, what to do with the Christmas tree is the question.
     If you place the tree near your bird feeder, you can teach 
your children about birds. Children love a challenge, especially 
when they feel that they are helping in a project.
     Set up a small table by the window near your Christmas tree
feeder. One or two books for easy bird identification and a large 
table with a marking pen are the only other items you need. After
spending some time beginning a list of bird visitors, leave your
children in charge of the station while you prepare a meal. They 
become the sentries and learn how to recognize new visitors.
     Food, cover, and water are the three requirements of winter
songbirds. Your old Christmas tree will provide shelter and 
protection for these birds, two of these requirements. To add 
food, place pine cones with peanut butter or a suet and cornmeal
mixture on the tree. Then the tree will be especially good for 
the birds during harsh winter storms.
     As the winter passes into spring, your Christmas tree may 
even become a nesting site for birds that are year-round 
residents. Squirrels and chipmunks often find shelter under the 
lower branches of Christmas trees too. Your discarded tree can 
be useful far beyond the holiday season.
     Another way to recycle your tree is to make a "rabbitat" for
the New Year, if you have sufficient space on your property. This
stack of cut trees provides a temporary winter escape shelter for
our native cottontail rabbits. Few wild species adapt better than
rabbits, and few can thrive as close to developed areas as the
cottontail.
     Many communities are fond of wildlife habitat areas or 
nature trails. By adding a rabbitat one can complement the theme 
of wildlife management in the community. Since nearly all 
neighborhoods have rabbits, organizing a gathering of the greens 
to construct a rabbitat from a pile of discarded Christmas trees
on a vacant lot, common area or in your own yard will help the 
rabbits through the winter.
     However, do keep in mind that rabbits like to eat ornamental
flowers, such as pansies, and many of our garden vegetables.
     To make a rabbitat, stack discarded Christmas trees over an 
old roll of fence wire or old crisscrossed logs. Continue stacking
trees until the pile reaches five to six feet in height and a width 
of 15 to 20 feet. Please note that this structure is temporary, 
as decay will render the rabbitat unusable in three to four years, 
at which time it may be refurbished.
     Replacing old Christmas trees with new ones each year keeps 
the rabbitat usable. It is also helpful to fertilize the rabbitat 
in March with about three to five pounds of 13-13-13. This will
encourage native vegetation to grow in and around the rabbitat, 
which increases its productivity for rabbits.
     Finally, you might consider converting your tree into mulch 
that can be used in your landscape. Some localities have a "Grinding 
of the Greens" program which grinds Christmas trees into mulch.
     Mulch conserves moisture; suppresses weeds; insulates the 
roots from temperature extremes; protects sloping ground from 
soil erosion; and makes areas, like paths, play areas and sitting 
areas more attractive and usable.
     Organic mulches decompose on the soil surface and add valuable
plant nutrients to the soil. Also, the organic mulch provides a 
good environment for earthworms and other soil organisms which 
are necessary for healthy soil.
     Be aware that if you mix this fresh or "green" mulch into 
the soil, then you run the risk of causing a nitrogen deficiency 
in your plants. Because wood mulch contains a lot of carbon and 
little nitrogen, the microorganisms responsible for breaking down 
the mulch will have to draw upon nitrogen that's already present 
in the soil, leaving less available for your plants. Nitrogen-
deficient plants look stunted and their oldest leaves turn 
yellow.
     If you need to mix green mulch directly into the soil, it 
would be a good idea to add a nitrogen-containing fertilizer. 
The general recommendation is to apply one pound of actual 
nitrogen  ten pounds of a 10-10-10 fertilizer -- per 100 pounds 
of dry wood or mulch. 
     To learn about a Grinding of the Greens program in your 
county, contact your Clemson Extension office; locations and 
phone numbers are at: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/ .
              ***********************************
     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to PSA 
Media Relations, A-101 Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson University,
Clemson, S.C. 29634-0129. You might also want to check out our 
website at http://www.clemson.edu/psamedia.

                                END