Wondering what to do with your old Christmas tree now that the holidays are over? Here’s how you can give it new life in your Wild Space as a haven for butterflies and moths.
Turn it into a habitat pile
Christmas trees make a brilliant habitat pile for lots of different species. They provide a place to shelter, to roost, to pupate and to overwinter for butterflies and moths. You can keep the tree tucked away in a corner, underneath a hedge or at the back of a flowerbed. You can keep it as it is, or you can add other twigs, leaves and natural materials.
Make it a fruity feast
Winter is a lean time for butterflies, birds and other wildlife, but you can provide an energy boost by using your tree as a fruit holder. You can pop your tree into the ground like a post or lean it against a wall, cut the branches back and skewer fruit like apples and bananas on them. Butterflies like the Red Admiral, which overwinter here, will fly on sunny days to nectar and will make use of rotting fruit, and birds and other wildlife also enjoy a fruity snack.
Let it become a dead hedge
A dead hedge is a hedge-like structure but made up of old logs, branches and twigs, held together by vertical branches or posts. Use your old tree to start or add to a dead hedge and help provide habitat for insects, mammals and small birds.
Convert it into a climbing structure
Climbers like Ivy, Honeysuckle and Jasmine are brilliant for butterflies, moths and other pollinators, providing both nectar and food for caterpillars. Use your old tree as a climbing structure for plants like these by popping it into the ground or in a large pot or planter, and loosely tie in your climber to encourage it to grow up the tree.
For more ideas on what to do in your Wild Space this winter, visit What To Do In Your Wild Space This Winter – Wild Spaces
