Where to recycle your Christmas tree in San Diego County

Christmas trees can be recycled curbside on collection days starting right after Christmas or can be brought to drop-off locations throughout San Diego County. Here’s a guide on where to recycle your real tree after the holidays — before all the pine needles fall off.

BONSALL

Place tree in green organics cart on regular collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; 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.6. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (760) 727-1600 or visit edcodisposal.com.

CARLSBAD

Tree pickup on residents’ normally scheduled collection day Dec. 27 through Jan. 14 with 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 Waste Management, 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 next to green waste cart. If possible, trees should be cut and placed inside green waste container with lid closed. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed through regular trash service; trees must fit into the trash can, with lid closed for collection. Visit republicservices.com.

CHULA VISTA

Place tree at the curb on any regular collection day. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, garland and plastic or metal stands and, if possible, cut into 4-foot sections. Visit republicservices.com.

CORONADO

Place cut trees in green organics cart on regular collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6. Tree must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop-off locations Dec. 26 through Jan. 14 are Glorietta Bay Park (boat ramp parking lot), 1975 Strand Way, and Coronado Cays (parking lot across Fire Station on Grand Caribe Causeway). Christmas trees do not need to be cut down for recycling at the drop-off. Visit edcodisposal.com.

DEL MAR

Place tree inside green organics carts on normally scheduled collection day Dec. 26 through Jan. 14. Tree drop-off at the Public Works yard, 2240 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Dec. 26 to Jan. 16. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed through regular trash service. Visit edcodisposal.com.

EL CAJON

Place tree inside green organics cart on regular collections day Dec. 26 through Jan.14. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Tree drop-off sites through Jan. 14 include Wells Park, 1153 E Madison Ave., and Public Works Operations Yard, 1050 Vernon Way. Visit edcodisposal.com.

ENCINITAS

Place tree in green organics cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (760) 728-6114 or visit edcodisposal.com.

ESCONDIDO

Place tree in green organics cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan.6 ; tree must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 7 at Kit Carson Park, south entrance, across from the adult softball complex and at Jesmond Dene Park. Call (760) 745-3203 or visit escondidodisposal.com.

FALLBROOK

Place tree in green organics cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes may also be recycled at two drop-off sites through Jan. 6: Fallbrook Transfer Station, 550 W: Aviation Road, 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 BEACH

Place cut trees in green organics cart Dec. 26 through Jan.6. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off through Jan. 27 at Imperial Beach Public Works, 495 10th St., or Boys & Girls Club, 847 Encina Ave. Visit edcodisposal.com.

LA MESA

Place cut trees in green organics cart on regular collections day Dec. 26 through Jan. 6. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or drop off through Jan. 6 at EDCO Station, 8184 Commercial St. from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit edcodisposal.com.

LEMON GROVE

Place cut trees in green organics cart on regular collection day Dec. 26 to Jan. 6. Drop off through Jan. 15 at Treganza Heritage Park, formerly Civic Center Park, 3200 Main St. (Trees do not need to be cut down for recycling at the drop-off.) Visit edcodisposal.com.

NATIONAL CITY

Place cut trees in green organics cart Dec. 26 through Jan.6. 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, and Kimball Park, E. 12th St. Visit edcodisposal.com.

OCEANSIDE

Tree pickup on residents’ normally scheduled collection day Dec. 26 through Jan. 14 with tree drop-off at El Corazon Compost Facility, 3210 Oceanside Blvd. Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half and placed next to green waste container. Smaller trees should be cut and placed inside green waste container with lid closed. Visit wm.com.

POWAY

Put trees in green organics cart on collection day Dec. 26 through Jan. 6. 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.

RAMONA

Put trees curbside in green organics carts Dec. 26 through Jan. 6 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. Dec. 30 to Jan. 2 and Jan. 6-9 at Ramona High School, 1401 Hanson Lane, and The Village Shopping Center in San Diego Country Estates. Call (760) 789-0516 or visit ramonadisposal.com.

SAN DIEGO

Curbside collection of Christmas trees (for residents with yard waste collection). Manual container customers using their own bins should place trees on the curb for collection on regular greenery recycling pickup day. Trees over 4 feet in length should be cut in half. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Automated container customers using the large, green 96-gallon bin provided by the city should cut their trees to fit into the automated container for pickup on collection day.

The city of San Diego’s annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 23 and includes 17 drop-off locations for city residents; check site hours:

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

Encanto: Cielo Drive at Woodman Street.

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

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

Logan Heights: Memorial Recreation Center, 2902 Marcy Ave.

Miramar: Miramar Greenery Recycling at Miramar Landfill, 5180 Convoy St.

Mission Bay: SeaWorld Drive at Pacific Highway.

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

Oak Park: Chollas Lake, 6350 College Grove Drive (Gloria Mesa parking lot).

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).

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 Community Park (parking lot), 3585 Governor Drive.

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

SAN MARCOS

Place trees in green organics cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. Trees of all sizes may also be recycled through Jan. 6 at the San Marcos Senior Center, 111 Richmar Ave. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Call (760) 744-2700 or visit edcodisposal.com.

SANTEE

Place cut trees in yard waste bin on regular collections day Dec. 27 through Jan. 7. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or Santee customers can drop off trees through Jan. 7 at Waste Management Recycle Center, 925 O’Connor St., El Cajon. Visit wm.com.

SOLANA BEACH

Put trees in green organics cart on collection day Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 6 at City Hall, 635 Highway 101 South, and La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave. Call (858) 350-8544 or visit edcodisposal.com.

VALLEY CENTER

Place tree in green organics cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan.6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Drop off trees through Jan. 6 at Valley Center Elementary School lower parking lot, 28751 Cole Grade Road. Call (760) 744-2700 or visit edcodisposal.com.

VISTA

EDCO customers can put trees in green organics cart on collection days Dec. 26 through Jan. 6; must be cut into 4-foot sections. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stands or flocked trees. Or put trees in containers through Jan. 6 at the public lot at Vale Terrace and Williamston, or lot at South Melrose Drive and Shadowridge Drive. Call (760) 727-1600 or visit edcodisposal.com.

UNINCORPORATED SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Place trees in green organics cart on regular collections day Dec. 26 through Jan.6. No ornaments, tinsel, nails, tree stand or flocked trees.