Here are a few guidelines to follow:

• Curbside pick-up
• Remove all Christmas decorations
• Do not put a plastic slipcover on your tree
• Protect your tree from the elements until the scheduled collection date

The post Village of St. Joseph to pick up live Christmas trees first appeared on SJO Daily.

Santa has come, the presents have been unwrapped and the family ornaments have been taken off the tree.

Those with an artificial tree will pack it up for next year, while those with a live tree figure out what to do next.

The sooner a live tree can get out the door, the less likely it is to become a fire hazard. One of every four home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems or because the tree is too close to a heat source.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, Christmas tree fires cause an average of three deaths, 15 injuries and $10 million in property damage each year.

Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.

While chopping up a live tree and taking it to a land waste facility is an option, the reality is that there are several ways to dispose of it that will benefit the environment.

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District offers tree recycling options.

The Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Homer Lake Forest Preserve and Middle Fork River Forest Preserve will accept Christmas Trees for recycling from Dec. 26 through Jan. 18. Only undecorated live Christmas trees will be accepted.

Some of the trees are chipped for mulch, but others are placed in the lake to be used as an artificial habitat for aquatic species, especially fish. The trees provide protection, food and shade for young fish. In contrast, they also provide great ambush points for predatory fish such as Large Mouth Bass. The structures are hotspots for breeding and spawning.

Birds also benefit from repurposed live Christmas trees.

By placing your tree in the yard, away from your home, birds can find refuge from the bitter cold in the branches of the tree. Fresh orange slices and popcorn can be used to attract the birds.

It is important to make sure all decorations have been removed from the tree, though.

After a year, the limbs will become brittle and can be taken off by hand or in a chipper.

The chipped wood can be used as mulch for the garden or spread on hiking trails.

Indoor burning is not recommended. The sap from the fresh tree can create a fire hazard in your chimney or vent piping.

The post Help the Environment by Disposing of Live Christmas tree properly first appeared on SJO Daily.

For starters, know what kind of tree you want, what size of tree you want (in your home…and make sure that it fits in your car) and research local farms to make sure they have what you’d like. 

Trees Commonly Found for Sale in East Central Illinois

Firs
Balsam Fir: Distinct semi-flat needles to upward-sloping branches with a dark green color and noticable fragrance, Balsam Firs have a slender spire-like tip.
Douglas Fir: Soft, shiny green needles, the Douglas Fir branches have conical shape with little space between the branches. 

Fraser Fir: Known for its silvery-green, soft-to-the-touch needles, Fraser Firs have firm branches. 

White Fir or Concolor Fir: The White Fir has a pleasing shape and aroma with bluish-green to dull-green needles.

Pines
White Pine: Often used to make garlands, wreaths and centerpieces, White Pines has long, soft needles with flexible branches. 

Scotch Pine: Known for it’s excellent needle retention, Scotch Pines also have very sharp needles. 

Spruce
Blue Spruce: Blue spruce has blue foliage, which can also appear silver, with strong limbs. 

Once you find the Christmas tree that is the perfect height and width, look to see how fresh the tree is by checking the stickiness of the trunk of the tree. Another way to check the freshness, is to take a needle and bend it in half; pine needles should not break while fir needles will snap.

We’ve all seen movies where a slimy Christmas tree salesman is showing the freshness of the tree by bouncing the trunk on the ground. When the customer sees a lot of needles on the ground, they choose another tree. The test is true, though. If you gently tap the tree on the ground and a lot of needles fall off, choose another tree. A few needles are okay, just not a lot.

Look for a tree with good, even coloring. Ever fir, pine and spruce tree have a different undertone, but overall the tree should be green. Make sure there aren’t browning needles or that the shade of green isn’t different throughout the tree.

Once the tree is home, you’ll have a bit of work to do to make sure the tree will stay fresh for a few weeks.

First, make sure your tree won’t be near the fireplace, heat sources or cold drafts. Also, avoid placing it in direct sunlight as it will make the tree fade faster.

Even if the tree was cut a few hours ago, the pores at the bottom of the tree sap may be clogging up the pores at the bottom of the tree. Cut at least one-half inch off the bottom before putting the tree in the sand to make sure the water can be absorbed through the bottom.

Once the tree is in the stand, keep water in the tree stand water the tree immediately. Research shows that plain water will keep trees fresh, you don’t need to add anything. Check the tree stand twice a day to make sure there is plenty of water in the stand.

The post How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree first appeared on SJO Daily.