Staffordshire garden centre explains how to turn Christmas trees into wildlife havens

Dobbies’ horticultural director, Marcus Eyles explained how to recycle Christmas trees to create a wildlife haven for small animals and insects to shelter in during the winter months.

Marcus said: "Remove the tree from your house carefully to stop any loose needles from dropping. Wear thick gloves to protect your hands.

"Then using a good quality pair of secateurs, starting from the top remove each branch as close as possible to the main trunk."

He added: "Stack the branches together four or five pieces high and place onto soil or leaves under large shrubs, trees or hedges. Repeat this process until all the branches are used. This will provide a great shelter for small animals and insects to protect them from the worst of the winter weather. Marcus points out that the needles and branches will breakdown over time to produce organic matter than will enrich the soil."

Marcus believes the trunk is a perfect home for post-Christmas critters to live in.

He said: "For the main trunk of the tree use a pruning saw to cut into 30cm lengths, which can then be stacked to make a mini log pile which is a great habitat for wildlife to shelter in."