The removal of tree waste after tree surgery or felling is common, but is unfortunately unavoidable.
Trees that grow in parks and gardens are subject to stresses and strains associated with their surroundings. While some are natural or a symptom of old age, other influences such as construction work and fires can have a detrimental effect on their wellbeing.
Once arborists have performed their tree care work, the problem then arises as to what to do with leftover tree waste. Items such as pruned branches, loose leaves and lopped-off logs can all prove very difficult to dispose of.
To help the environment, Honey Tree Surgeons recycle 99% of tree debris with our production of by-products? These include:
- Kindling, mulch and wood chippings – for weed suppression or to help ignite BBQ’s
- Seasoned firewood – long burning fire logs, perfect for open fireplaces
- Lump charcoal – homemade, ideal for BBQ’s and open fireplaces
If you are pruning your own trees or have chosen to dispose of your own garden waste, you can try some of these ideas yourself.
Here are 6 top ways to recycle garden and tree waste:
- Create compost from your lawn and green waste (the leaves) from your trees in a composting pit or bin. Living leaves provide a good source of nitrogen for the bacteria that break down the compost. Don’t add pine needles as these don’t break down well. Other household waste that composts well includes small twigs, bark, grass, fruit and vegetable scraps, fallen fruit, shredded paper, tea bags and coffee grounds and animal hair.
- Use trimmings as mulch. Pine needles break down slowly and so can be used as mulch
- Buy or hire a wood chipper to break down larger branches into mulch. Don’t forget to follow safety guidelines to avoid any nasty accidents.
- Make firewood – chop up your tree and use it as fuel for your log burner, firepit or fireplace. The tree will need to be stored in a dry place to ensure it has dried out sufficiently for use.
- Make indoor decorations such as tea coasters, placemats and trivets. Remove any loose material from the branches first and then choose to either chop the branches into small circles, or you could keep the branch whole and put it in a vase with fairy lights as a decoration.
- Most councils operate a garden waste collection service, which is collected from your kerbside and taken to a local composting facility.
At Honey Tree Surgeons, we’re proud to be registered with the Environment Agency as a “Recognised Waste Carrier”