Trees as Wind Breaks

Christmas trees make excellent bee hive wind breaks. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Christmas Trees as Wind Breaks

There are a number of ways you can repurpose and recycle your live Christmas trees. One way I have repurposed live Christmas trees is as wind breaks for my bee hives.

My apiary is located on the side of a Missouri limestone hill. Prevailing winds move up the hill from the southwest so having a windbreak in front of my hives is a good idea for our winters.

My hives are wrapped to help the hives against the winds. The Christmas trees then add a little extra protection.

Place Christmas trees against prevailing winds. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

You can usually get Christmas trees at your local home and garden centers only too happy to have them hauled off.

Once spring arrives, I will use the Christmas trees as flower bed mulch.

As you scatter the Christmas trees around, take time to enjoy seeing your bees if they are out.

Taking a short break to watch bees in the winter sun. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If not, don’t bother them, they should be huddled inside staying warm.

When sun hits my hives, I usually see a few bees in my garden venturing out for those “cleansing flights” and then heading back in. Not having to deal with cold wind should be a nice break for them.

Charlotte