Recycling your tree in D.C. may be easier than you think! The city does a great job of providing pickup and shredding services when it comes time to dispose of your Christmas tree.

It's that sad time of year again, when we take down the lights and pack away the ornaments. If you live in the city, what's the best way to dispose of your tree and when should you do it?

The prime time for tree and greenery pickup is January 14–February 2, 2019. D.C. residents can simply place their trees alongside their regular garbage and recycling. Everything picked up during that timeframe will be chipped and composted, then made available to gardeners in the spring. Win-win! If you put your tree out after February 2, it will be picked up but not recycled.

Before you put your tree out, be sure to take off all the lights and ornaments, including any metal ornament hangers. Don't bother trying to put the tree in a garbage bag; they prefer that it is simply left on the curb on a regular trash collection day. If the truck is too full, your tree may not be picked up right away, so don't worry if it's left behind the first time.

For D.C. residents who live in apartment buildings and condos, the building is required to provide you with a method of disposal for solid waste. Check with your building management for any special instructions they may have.

For more information on Christmas tree disposal and recycling, visit the D.C. government page on leaf and holiday tree collection.

**All photos in this article are courtesy of Unsplash.

Do you have a super-secret Christmas tree disposal method in the city that we don't know about -- maybe a community garden that chips up donations? Let us know in the comments below.

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