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What to know before taking down your Christmas tree

Different cities have different requirements, so make sure you're disposing of your tree the right way.

Now's the time to get rid of your Christmas tree. But before you go dragging it outside, make sure you know the rules.

In Minneapolis, old veggies and dead plants can go in a organics cart. You might think your Christmas tree goes there, too. 

It doesn't.

Instead, place it alongside your regular garbage cart by 6 a.m. on your regular garbage pickup day. If the tree is six feet or taller, you have to cut it in half. You can find your garbage collection day here.

RELATED: Recycling your Christmas tree? Give it to goats

The instructions are a little more specific in St. Paul. The tree may not be placed upright in the snow or leaned against any of your carts. Instead, it has to lay next to the garbage cart.

With the new year, St. Paul has new pricing for picking up bulky items. Depending on your cart size, you can have two to three bulky items collected each year. After that, you have to pay $10-35 plus tax per item.

When it comes to your Christmas tree, people in St. Paul don't have to pay anything as long as it's outside between Jan. 2-15. In other words, there is a two-week window for free collection.

However, this service is limited to one tree per household in St. Paul. If you have additional trees, a fake tree, or a tree larger than six feet, then they have to be collected as bulky items. Call your hauler to schedule a time after the 15th.

Here's another free option. Ramsey County will accept your tree if you bring it to a county yard waste site. Arden Hills, Frank and Sims, Midway, and White Bear Township all accept trees. December through March, yard waste site hours are Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hennepin County says live Christmas trees should be disposed of as yard waste and to check with your city or hauler for disposal options.

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