Where to recycle your Christmas tree: a guide for San Diego County
Christmas trees can be recycled curbside on collection days starting right after Christmas or can be brought to drop-off locations throughout San Diego County. Here’s a guide to where you can recycle your real wood after the holidays – before all the pine needles fall off.
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Place tree in green organic cart on regular collection days December 26 to January 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Or recycle trees in containers at River Village, 5256 S. Mission Road, in the northwest parking lot through Jan. 6. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (760) 727-1600 or visit edcodisposal.com.
CARLSBAD
Tree pickup on residents’ normally scheduled pickup day Dec. 27 through Jan. 14 with tree drop-off locations at Calaveras Park, 2997 Glasgow Drive; Stagecoach Park, 3420 Camino de los Coches; Fire Station 2, 1275 Carlsbad Village Drive; Poinsettia Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Road; and Waste Management, 5960 El Camino Real. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and wooden stands. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half and placed next to the green waste cart. If possible, trees should be cut and placed in a green waste container with a closed lid. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through regular garbage service; trees must fit into the bin, with the lid closed for collection. Visit republicservices.com.
CHULA VISTA
Place the tree at the curb on a regular collection day. Remove all decorations, tinsel, garland, and plastic or metal stands, and cut into 4-foot sections if possible. Visit republicservices.com.
CORONADO
Place cut trees in green organic cart on regular collection days December 26th to January 6th. The tree must be cut into 4-foot sections. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop-off locations from December 26 to January 14 are Glorietta Bay Park (boat launch parking lot), 1975 Strand Way and Coronado Cays (parking lot across from the fire station on the Grand Caribe Causeway). Christmas trees do not need to be cut for recycling when handed over. Visit edcodisposal.com.
DEL MAR
Place the tree inside green organic carts on the normally scheduled collection day of December 26th to January 14th. Tree drop-off at the public works yard, 2240 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Dec. 26 through Jan. 16. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and wooden stands. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through normal waste services. Visit edcodisposal.com.
EL CAJON
Place the tree in the green organic shopping basket on regular collection days 26 December to 14 January. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Tree drop-off locations through Jan. 14 include Wells Park, 1153 E Madison Ave., and the Public Works Operations Yard, 1050 Vernon Way. Visit edcodisposal.com.
ENCINITAS
Place tree in green organic cart on collection days December 26 to January 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (760) 728-6114 or visit edcodisposal.com.
ESCONDIDO
Place tree in green organic cart on collection days December 26 to January 6; the tree must be cut into 4-foot sections. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through January 7 at Kit Carson Park, south entrance, across from the adult softball complex and at Jesmond Dene Park. Call (760) 745-3203 or visit escondidodisposal.com.
FALLBROOK
Place tree in green organic cart on collection days December 26 to January 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes can also be recycled at two drop-off locations through Jan. 6: Fallbrook Transfer Station, 550 W: Aviation Road, or River Village, 5256 S. Mission Road, in the northwest parking lot. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (760) 728-6114 or visit edcodisposal.com.
IMPERIAL BEACH
Place cut trees in green organic cart from December 26th to January 6th. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off by Jan. 27 at Imperial Beach Public Works, 495 10th St., or Boys & Girls Club, 847 Encina Ave. Visit edcodisposal.com.
LA MESA
Place cut trees in green organic cart on regular collection day 26 December to 6 January. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or clumped trees. Or drop off until Jan. 6 at EDCO Station, 8184 Commercial St. from 05.00 to 13.00. Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit edcodisposal.com.
LEMON GROVE
Place cut trees in green organic carts on regular collection day December 26th to January 6th. Drop off through Jan. 15 at Treganza Heritage Park, formerly Civic Center Park, 3200 Main St. (Trees do not need to be cut for recycling at drop-off.) Visit edcodisposal.com.
NATIONAL CITY
Place cut trees in green organic cart from December 26th to January 6th. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off by Jan. 12 at Las Palmas Park, 1800 E. 22nd St., in the pool parking lot, and Kimball Park, E. 12th St. Visit edcodisposal.com.
OCEANSIDE
Wood pickup on residents’ normally scheduled collection day Dec. 26 through Jan. 14 with wood drop-off at El Corazon Compost Facility, 3210 Oceanside Blvd. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and wooden stands. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half and placed next to the green waste container. Smaller trees should be cut and placed in a green waste container with a closed lid. Visit wm.com.
POWAY
Place trees in green organic cart on collection day December 26 to January 6. Remove stand and accessories; trees should be cut into 4-foot lengths or shorter. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (858) 748-7769 or visit edcodisposal.com.
RAMONA
Place curbside trees in green organic carts December 26 through January 6 on collection days. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes can be dropped off from 8am to 3pm. 30 December to 2 January and 6-9 January at Ramona High School, 1401 Hanson Lane and The Village Shopping Center in San Diego Country Estates. Call (760) 789-0516 or visit ramonadisposal.com.
SAN DIEGO
Curbside collection of Christmas trees (for residents with garden waste collection). Manual container customers who use their own bins should place trees at the curb for pick-up on a regular collection day for green plant recycling. Trees over 4 feet long should be cut in half. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Automated container customers using the large green 96-gallon container provided by the city should cut their trees to fit into the automated container for pickup on pickup day.
The City of San Diego’s annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program runs December 26 through January 23 and includes 17 drop-off locations for city residents; check website opening hours:
Carmel Valley: Carmel Valley Recreation Center, 3777 Townsgate Drive (lower parking lot).
Encanto: Cielo Drive at Woodman Street.
Golden Hill: Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive.
Pacific Beach: Kate Sessions Memorial Park, corner of Mount Soledad Road and Loring Street.
Logan Heights: Memorial Recreation Center, 2902 Marcy Ave.
Miramar: Miramar Greenery Recycling at Miramar Landfill, 5180 Convoy St.
Mission Bay: SeaWorld Drive at Pacific Highway.
Mountain View: Ocean View Boulevard at 40th Street (north side).
Oak Park: Chollas Lake, 6350 College Grove Drive (Gloria Mesa parking lot).
Ocean Beach: Robb Field Recreation Center, 2525 Bacon St.
Otay Mesa/Nestor: Montgomery Waller Community Park (lower parking lot, southeast corner of Palm Avenue and Beyer Boulevard).
Rancho Bernardo: Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center, 18448 W. Bernardo Drive.
Rancho Peñasquitos: Canyonside Recreation Center, 12350 Black Mountain Road.
San Diego State University: Parking Lot 17 off Alvarado Road.
Scripps Ranch: Scripps Ranch Recreation Center, 11454 Blue Cypress Drive.
Tierrasanta: Tierrasanta Community Park, 11220 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. (pool car park).
University City: Standley Community Park (parking lot), 3585 Governor Drive.
Visit sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/events/christmas.
SAN MARCOS
Place trees in green organic cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes can also be recycled through Jan. 6 at the San Marcos Senior Center, 111 Richmar Ave. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or clumped trees. Call (760) 744-2700 or visit edcodisposal.com.
SANTEE
Place cut trees in the garden waste bin on regular collection days 27 December to 7 January. No decorations, glitter, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or Santee customers can drop off trees through Jan. 7 at the Waste Management Recycle Center, 925 O’Connor St., El Cajon. Visit wm.com.
SOLANA BEACH
Place trees in green organic cart on collection day December 26 to January 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 6 at City Hall, 635 Highway 101 South and La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave. Call (858) 350-8544 or visit edcodisposal.com.
VALLEY CENTER
Place tree in green organic cart on collection days December 26 to January 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 6 at the Valley Center Elementary School lower parking lot, 28751 Cole Grade Road. Call (760) 744-2700 or visit edcodisposal.com.
VISTA
EDCO customers can place trees in green organic cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or place trees in containers through Jan. 6 in the public lot at Vale Terrace and Williamston, or lot at South Melrose Drive and Shadowridge Drive. Call (760) 727-1600 or visit edcodisposal.com.
UNINCORPORATED SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Place trees in green organic cart on regular collection day 26 December to 6 January. No decorations, tinsel, nails, tree stands or bunched trees.
Does Home Depot treat their Christmas trees?
Are Christmas trees sprayed with chemicals? According to the Center for Biological Diversity, eight pesticides account for 85 percent of all use on Christmas trees: chlorothalonil, atrazine, simazine, glyphosate, hexazinone, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos and dimethoate.
What does Home Depot do with old Christmas trees?
After the holidays, many Home Depot stores partner with wood companies to chip Christmas trees for mulch. Just take your tree to the nearest Home Depot location and drop it off anytime after Christmas, and they’ll make sure your tree is turned into reusable, eco-friendly mulch.
What do they do with leftover Christmas tree?
Many are chopped up, ground down and fed to plants and animals, according to Rocco Malanga, owner of Cedar Grove Chrismas Trees in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. “At a commercial level, they become wood chips that are made into mulch,” Malanga said. “It’s very common. Other than that, they go to farms for livestock.
Where does Home Depot get their Christmas trees from?
For Home Depot customers, the answer is simple – local tree farms. Home Depot partners with several wood suppliers in the United States and Canada to bring local trees to nearby stores, with the majority of suppliers located in North Carolina, Oregon, Michigan and Washington State.
How long do Christmas trees from Home Depot last?
A freshly cut Christmas tree, with the right care, can last the whole season. Typically, a Christmas tree lasts up to five weeks, sometimes more, if properly cared for.
Where does Home Depot get their Christmas trees?
For Home Depot customers, the answer is simple – local tree farms. Home Depot partners with several wood suppliers in the United States and Canada to bring local trees to nearby stores, with the majority of suppliers located in North Carolina, Oregon, Michigan and Washington State.
Is Home Depot a good place to buy Christmas trees?
Home Depot With real-time customer support, the ability to compare models and hassle-free returns, getting an artificial tree through this handyman’s go-to has never been easier.
Who supplies the most Christmas trees?
Most natural Christmas trees grow in Central and Western Europe. Around 18 million Christmas trees came from Germany, followed by France with 6 million trees. Denmark produces 10 million trees and Great Britain has less than 5 million Christmas trees.
Where are most Christmas trees farmed?
#1. Oregon. Oregon’s title as the state that produces the most Christmas trees isn’t even a close race—it surpasses North Carolina (the No. 2 state) by more than 2 million trees.
Does Walmart accept Christmas tree returns?
Walmart’s holiday return policy states that the company accepts returns for most items until January 31, 2023. Walmart only accepts holiday returns if you purchase the items between October 1 and December.
Can you scrap a Christmas tree?
They have truly made recycling effortless and extremely convenient for their customers. Scrap Mart is the place to take all your unwanted metal recyclables, including your faux tree. We even take old Christmas lights. No need to take out the bulbs, bring everything as it is!
Can you save a Christmas tree? Believe it or not, your old, dead Christmas tree will make an excellent home for the birds for the rest of the winter. Make sure it is free of all decorations and tinsel. Then secure it in your garden in a stand, or with stakes and twine.
What can I do with my old Christmas tree?
10 ways you can put your old Christmas tree to use in the garden
- Turn it into mulch. …
- Use it as compost. …
- Use the tree as a stake. …
- Use the branches. …
- Replant it. …
- Used as habitat for animals. …
- Make a bird feeder. …
- Fold it into the potpourri.
Can I leave my Christmas tree up all year long?
Assuming you have an artificial tree – or maybe you just have a green thumb – you can leave the tree up as long as you like.
How do you dispose of a large Christmas tree?
Suck any water out of the wooden stand with a turkey baster. Turn the entire tree, stand and all, sideways on the sheet (trying to twist the tree out of the stand first will send needles flying). Once the tree is on the floor, wrap the sheet tightly around it, remove the stand and carry it outside.
How do you get rid of a fake Christmas tree?
Place in trash. Artificial Christmas trees can be put in the trash.
What can I do with artificial Christmas tree branches?
Make a Wreath Using branches from your artificial tree, you can put together a new piece of decor: a forest wreath. Use twine and tie a bow around the branch.
Can you leave artificial Christmas trees outside?
Yes, you can use fake Christmas trees outside to decorate your front porch or garden. The best Christmas trees for this will be labeled for indoor and outdoor use. What is this? But you should avoid using pre-lit trees if they are labeled for indoor use only.
What can I do with an old fake Christmas tree?
Donate your artificial tree Some thrift stores, nursing homes and charities that need extra Christmas cheer will often accept and reuse artificial Christmas trees. Before donating used decorations, be sure to remove any tinsel, ornaments or extra lights that are not permanently attached to the tree.
What does Home Depot do with old Christmas trees?
After the holidays, many Home Depot stores partner with wood companies to chip Christmas trees for mulch. Just take your tree to the nearest Home Depot location and drop it off anytime after Christmas, and they’ll make sure your tree is turned into reusable, eco-friendly mulch.
How long do Christmas trees from Home Depot last?
A freshly cut Christmas tree, with the right care, can last the whole season. Typically, a Christmas tree lasts up to five weeks, sometimes more, if properly cared for.
Where does Home Depot get their Christmas trees from?
For Home Depot customers, the answer is simple – local tree farms. Home Depot partners with several wood suppliers in the United States and Canada to bring local trees to nearby stores, with the majority of suppliers located in North Carolina, Oregon, Michigan and Washington State.
What do they do with leftover Christmas tree?
Many are chopped up, ground down and fed to plants and animals, according to Rocco Malanga, owner of Cedar Grove Chrismas Trees in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. “At a commercial level, they become wood chips that are made into mulch,” Malanga said. “It’s very common. Other than that, they go to farms for livestock.
Can you put a real Christmas tree outside?
Store outside until ready to decorate. This is inevitable. For this reason, it is a good idea to store the tree in the garage or a covered indoor/outdoor area until you are ready to decorate. The key here is to keep the tree away from wind, open air. While the cooler air may benefit the tree, the wind will dry it out.
How long do real Christmas trees last outside? Spruce and cypress trees are known to last four to five weeks, while pine and fir trees lose their needles more quickly. As an added bonus, fir trees also give off that wonderful Christmas tree scent that so many of us associate with the holiday season!