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Hi folks,

Can I put my live Christmas tree onto my (small) domestic-sized compost bin? I would presume the main trunk will be too solid to compost down without being shredded first. But can I put the branches and needles in my compost bin?

And is there any reason why I shouldn't burn the trunk in a wood-burning stove?

Many thanks,
Jack

Use the needles as mulch

If you have a wood-burner -

Use the twiggy branches as kindling (wait till it is dried out, about 6 months)

Use the trunk as fire wood (dry the wood for a year or 2 before burning)

I'd think that the whole thing would just take too long to break down - even the needles - in a regular compost bin.

Hi the trunk shouldn't need to be drief that long, wood takes a month per inch to try out, so if it is only a couple of inches, it is going to be dry very quickly, especially if you saw it into logs straight away. Needles to take a long time too break down, however in the quantities that you would be adding them, that is not necessarily bad

great, thanks for all the replies

I cut the branches off and put them in a cardboard box and black bags until the needles fall off I put thes on my starwberries they help the flavour and discourage slugs .

The tree we cut up and it goes on the woodburner