Why Should You Mulch Your Christmas Tree?

By Lou Anne DaRin, Color Penfield Green Member

December 12^th, 2026

You might be wondering why you should mulch your tree rather than just putting it at the curb and letting it be taken to a land fill. After all, won’t it break down in a landfill? It breaks down very differently in a landfill. When organic waste decomposes in the absence of oxygen (anaerobically) methane gas is emitted into the atmosphere. Methane gas is a potent greenhouse gas so sending a tree (or any organic waste) to landfills is very harmful to the environment.

But by having that same tree mulched it is turned into useful organic material. Shredded evergreen branches break down slowly and that helps suppress weeds, retain soil moisture and add nutrients back into the soil. Mulched pine needles and branches create a soft, pleasantly scented ground cover that could be used for trails or garden paths.

In Penfield the mulch the town creates from Christmas trees is made available to residents in the spring at no charge. It is placed in a huge pile at the Town Hall. Residents can bring buckets and load as much mulch as they would like.

By recycling a tree into mulch, the need for manufactured mulch is reduced and it keeps natural materials in the ecosystem.

The town of Penfield offers a free mulching service to its residents. Trees can be dropped off at the Highway Department on Jackson Road. This year Color Penfield Green is helping the town by driving around our community with trucks on January 10, 2026, and picking up any trees residents put out on their curbs.

Take advantage of this amazing service and do something really good for the environment at the same time. You’ll start the New Year feeling so good about your effort to help the environment!

REGISTER ONLINE-COLOR PENFIELD GREEN WILL PICK UP YOUR TREE!

OR…

BRING IT YOURSELF TO THE PENFIELD HIGHWAY DEPT. FOR MULCHING!