Now that the end of holiday season is approaching, it's almost time to take down your Christmas tree. If yours was fresh-cut, consider recycling it.

Doris Taylor, plant information specialist at the Morton Arboretum shares some simple ideas for giving fresh-cut Christmas trees new uses.

One of the best things you can do is to give it to the birds. "Winter birds appreciate the cover of a tree, especially if decorated with bird food ornaments," said Taylor.

Tie the tree to a stake or post to prevent it from blowing away in winter winds. Or lay the tree on its side and scatter birdseed around it. Just be sure to remove any Christmas decorations, especially tinsel, which can hurt birds if they eat them.

One caveat: Once birds get used to feeding at a spot, they will return to feed for the rest of the winter. If all the food runs out, replenish it or they will go hungry.

If you can't make that commitment, bestow your tree to your flowerbeds. Cut up the branches and use them as winter mulch on perennial flowerbeds.

"Place evergreen boughs on top of low growing plants for protection, especially in late winter, when freezing and thawing of the soil heaves shallow-rooted perennials out of the ground," said Taylor.

Or you can pass it down to your peonies. In the spring, use large branches to stake your peonies. Then convert the trunk into a trellis for climbing vines or tomatoes.

Other branches can be dispensed to a winter display. Arrange them in a large container near your door, porch or some other focal point. Add other greenery and decorations, such as barberry, cones, dried grasses, berries and seedpods.

Here's an idea for recycling multiple trees. Ask your neighbors for their Christmas trees and make temporary windbreaks to shield tender, broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons or young, newly planted evergreens, suggested Taylor. This can work if there's already a fence, stakes or post nearby that you can tie the trees to. If not, keep it in mind for next year and plan to install stakes next fall.

Another good choice is to send it to the chipper. Many towns have fresh-cut Christmas tree recycling programs where trees are chipped up to make mulch for parks or to give back to homeowners. Sometimes trees can be picked up curbside. Other towns have drop-off locations.

You can find by ZIP code a list of municipalities or facilities that recycle Christmas trees at www.christmastree.org. If you live in Chicago, you can drop off your tree at one of more than 20 locations. Visit the Streets and Sanitation page at www.cityofchicago.org or call 311 for a list of fresh-cut tree recycling locations.

Laurie Casey is a staff writer at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle.