Is it time to recycle your Christmas tree? Here’s how.

When the pine needles on your Christmas tree start to dry out, it’s time to recycle it. Christmas trees can be recycled curbside in your green recycle bins on collection days or brought to drop-off sites throughout San Diego County.

The San Diego County Christmas Tree Recycling Program turns recycled Christmas trees into compost, wood chips and mulch products for residents and business owners to buy year-round. City residents can get up to two cubic yards of compost and mulch for free at the Miramar Greenery, according to the county’s website, www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/events/christmas.

Here’s a guide on where to recycle your tree after the holidays. (This is not for artificial trees.)

BONSALLPlace tree in green organics cart (bin on wheels) on regular collection days; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Or recycle trees inside containers at River Village, 5256 S. Mission Road, in the northwest parking lot through Jan. 9. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call 760-727-1600 or visit edcodisposal.com.

CARLSBADTree pickup is on residents’ normally scheduled trash collection day through Jan. 14 and there are tree drop-off locations at Calaveras Park, 2997 Glasgow Drive; Stagecoach Park, 3420 Camino de los Coches; Fire Station 2, 1275 Carlsbad Village Drive; Poinsettia Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Road; and Republic Services Palomar Transfer Station, 5960 El Camino Real. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half and placed in green organics cart with the lid closed for collection or if necessary placed next to green waste cart. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through regular trash service. Visit republicservices.com/municipality/carlsbad-ca or call 760-332-6464.

CHULA VISTA

Place tree inside green recycle bin in 4-foot sections or less with lid closed on any regular collection day. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, garland and plastic or metal stands. If the tree is too large to cut into sections, schedule a bulky pickup or bring the tree for recycling to the Otay Landfill and Compost Facility, 1700 Maxwell Road. Visit republicservices.com.

CORONADOPlace cut trees in green organics cart on regular collection days. Tree must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 20 at Glorietta Bay Park (boat ramp parking lot), 1975 Strand Way, or Coronado Cays (parking lot across from Fire Station on Grand Caribe Causeway), and at the corner of 1st Street and Almeda Boulevard. Christmas trees do not need to be cut down for recycling at the drop-off. Visit edcodisposal.com.

DEL MARPlace tree inside green organics carts on normally scheduled collection day. Tree drop-off at the Public Works yard, 2240 Jimmy Durante Blvd., is through Jan. 14. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through regular trash service. Visit edcodisposal.com.

EL CAJONPlace tree inside green organics cart on regular collections day. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Tree drop-off sites through Jan. 12 include Wells Park, 1153 E. Madison Ave., and the Public Works Operations Yard, 1050 Vernon Way. Visit edcodisposal.com.

ENCINITASPlace tree in green organics cart on collection days; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call 760-728-6114 or visit edcodisposal.com.

ESCONDIDOPlace tree in green organics cart on collection days; tree must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 10 at Kit Carson Park, south entrance, across from the adult softball complex, 3333 Bear Valley Parkway; or Jesmond Dene Park, 2401 N. Broadway. Call 760-745-3203 or visit escondidodisposal.com.

FALLBROOKPlace tree in green organics cart on collection days; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes may also be recycled at two drop-off sites through Jan. 9: Fallbrook Transfer Station, 550 W. Aviation Road (Monday- Saturday 7 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.) or River Village, 5256 S. Mission Road, in the northwest parking lot. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call 760-728-6114 or visit edcodisposal.com.

IMPERIAL BEACHPlace cut trees in green organics cart on collection days. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off through Jan. 12 at Imperial Beach Public Works, 495 10th St., or Boys & Girls Club, 847 Encina Ave. Visit edcodisposal.com.

LA MESAPlace cut trees in green organics cart on regular collection days. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off through Jan. 11 at EDCO Station, 8184 Commercial St., from 5 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Visit edcodisposal.com.

LEMON GROVEPlace cut trees in green organics cart on regular collection days. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees.Drop off through Jan. 12 at Treganza Heritage Park, 3200 Main St. Trees do not need to be cut down for recycling at the drop-off. Visit edcodisposal.com.

NATIONAL CITYPlace cut trees in green organics cart. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off through Jan. 12 at Las Palmas Park, 1800 E. 22nd St., in the pool parking lot, or Kimball Park, East 12th St. Visit edcodisposal.com.

OCEANSIDEHoliday trees are collected curbside for three weeks after Christmas on the regular collection day. Remove all decorations, including tree stands and lights. Trees taller than 6 feet should be cut in half and placed in the organics cart with the lid closed, or set curbside next to the landfill waste cart. Artificial and flocked trees are not recyclable, and must be placed in the landfill cart with the lid closed or may be collected curbside next to the landfill cart. If artificial trees have lights that are not removable, they must be recycled with e-waste. Visit wm.com.

POWAYPut trees in green organics cart on collection day. Remove stand and trimmings; trees should be cut into 4-foot lengths or shorter. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call 858-748-7769 or visit edcodisposal.com.

RAMONAPut trees curbside in green organics carts on collection days. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 3-4 at Ramona High School, 1401 Hanson Lane, or The Village Shopping Center in San Diego Country Estates. Call 760-789-0516 or visit ramonadisposal.com.

SAN DIEGOResidential customers serviced by the city of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department can recycle their Christmas tree by placing it in their organic waste green bin so that it fits entirely inside the bin and the lid can be closed, for pick up on collection day. Christmas trees placed next to organic containers will not be serviced. Both green and flocked trees with fake snow are accepted for recycling, but not artificial trees. All ornaments, garland, tree stands, lights and other decorative items must be removed for either the green bin or the drop-off sites and no plastic bags or trash will be accepted.

The city of San Diego’s annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program runs through Jan.16 and includes 16 drop-off locations; check site hours:

Carmel Valley: Carmel Valley Recreation Center, 3777 Townsgate Drive (lower parking lot).

Colina Del Sol: Colina Del Sol Park, 52nd Street and 52nd Place (south parking lot).

Encanto: Cielo Drive at Woodman Street.

Golden Hill: Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive.

Logan Heights: Memorial Recreation Center, 2902 Marcy Ave.

Mission Bay: SeaWorld Drive at Pacific Highway.

Mountain View: Ocean View Boulevard at 40th Street (north side).

Ocean Beach: Robb Field Recreation Center, 2525 Bacon St.

Otay Mesa/Nestor: Montgomery Waller Community Park (lower parking lot, southeast corner of Palm Avenue and Beyer Boulevard).

Pacific Beach: Kate Sessions Memorial Park, corner of Mount Soledad Road and Loring Street.

Rancho Bernardo: Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center, 18448 W. Bernardo Drive.

Rancho Peñasquitos: Canyonside Recreation Center, 12350 Black Mountain Road.

San Diego State University: Parking lot 17 off Alvarado Road.

Scripps Ranch: Scripps Ranch Recreation Center, 11454 Blue Cypress Drive.

Tierrasanta: Tierrasanta Community Park, 11220 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. (pool parking lot).

University City: Standley Park (parking lot), 3585 Governor Drive.

Visit sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/events/christmas.

SAN MARCOSPlace trees in green organics cart on collection days; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Trees of all sizes may also be recycled through Jan. 9 at the Corky Smith Gymnasium, 274 Pico Ave. Call 760-744-2700 or  visit edcodisposal.com.

SANTEEPlace bare trees (cut to 4 feet) in yard waste bin on regular curbside collection day through Jan. 9. No ornaments, tinsel, nails or tree stands. Flocked trees cannot be recycled, but they will be collected if cut into 4-foot sections and placed in the regular trash cart. Santee customers without curbside collection, such as apartment complexes, can drop off trees through Jan. 9 at Waste Management Recycle Center, 925 O’Connor St., El Cajon. Visit www.wm.com/us/en/location/ca/santee/trash-pickup-santee-ca.

SOLANA BEACHPut trees in green organics cart on collection day; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 16 at City Hall, 635 Highway 101 South, or La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave. Call 858-350-8544 or visit edcodisposal.com.

UNINCORPORATED SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Place trees in green organics bin on regular collection day. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. For specific instructions for various unincorporated communities and other communities in San DIego County, visit https://www.cleansd.org/christmas-tree-recycling-san-diego-2025-2026/

VALLEY CENTERPlace tree in green organics cart on collection days; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 5 at Valley Center Elementary School’s lower parking lot, 28751 Cole Grade Road. Call 760-744-2700 or visit edcodisposal.com.

VISTAEDCO customers can put trees in green organics cart on collection days; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or put trees in containers through Jan. 9 at the public lot at Vale Terrace and Williamston, or the lot at South Melrose Drive and Shadowridge Drive. Call 760-727-1600 or visit edcodisposal.com.

To add a recycling drop-off location, email linda.mcintosh@sduniontribune.com.