CHRISTMAS decorations are coming down and trees being recycled or boxed up - so when, where and how can trees be recycled in Farnham?

Both real trees and unwanted synthetic trees can also be taken to the Farnham community recycling centre in Guildford Road - open Monday to Wednesday (8am to 4pm), Friday (8am to 4pm) and weekends (9am to 4pm).

A trip to the tip also presents a good opportunity to get rid of all the wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and empty bottles from the festive season.

In addition, Waverley has cordoned off an area of the main Farnham Park car park off Folly Hill for people to drop-off real Christmas trees up to and including next Friday, January 13. The trees are collected by council contractor Glendale and taken to its depot to be recycled.

Subscribers to Waverley Borough Council’s garden waste collection service also have the option of putting out their tree with garden waste on the first collection after Christmas.

For those with rooted trees, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recommends planting the tree directly into the garden or, if you want to bring it indoors again next year, growing it on in a container, moving it into a bigger pot annually until you reach the maximum size that can be moved comfortably (about 45cm (18in) diameter and depth).

Christmas trees need very little training when grown outdoors. Aim to maintain an attractive shape, removing any shoots that spoil the silhouette or any strong upright branches that compete with the leading stem. Prune away any dead, diseased or dying branches.

However, the RHS urges caution as, if planted out in the garden, Christmas trees can get very large - reaching a height of about 50 to 65ft in 20 years, and possible eventual heights of about 130ft depending on species.

For more tips about Christmas recycling visit the website www.waverley.gov.uk/xmasbins.