Free compost on the side of the road
 

Many communities have yard waste recycling, and you can get all the components you need for the perfect blend of compost right on the side of the road. Locally, one town requires everything be in the damned road, which is right in my way, but they literally have half a dozen trucks that only pick up a certain product each. So you can get grass clippings or leaves, or twigs or whatever you need. You can pick and choose. I remember where the best stuff was and when my routes are finished, I fill my empty bins with the stuff and bring it home.

Another town requires it all be bagged in clear bags, no separation. I come back early in the week when the lawn clippings are new, and just toss that stuff into the back of the car and bring it home. In a month, I've gotten a good compost heap breaking down that will go into raised beds over the winter.

This stuff is free for the taking, and people get curious when they see me taking their "trash." I tell them what I'm doing, and they all think it's great and wish me luck.

Re: Free compost on the side of the road
 

That's cool! If I see some bags of leaves or something like that I throw them in the back and pit them on the nanners. There is a county dump that uses the yard waste to make compost and has compost available but it turns to sand in my experience and there are bits of trash in it.... Don't know how much nutrition is in it for plants though.

Re: Free compost on the side of the road
 

Yeah, here in Mecklenburg Co. (Charlotte), they mix it all together. You could have old PTL (arsenic) and nails and screws in it, so I avoid it like the plague for food crops. The other counties are a bit different.

If you want some good free mulch, stop by a tree company crunching up a whole tree. and ask if you can have a couple bins of the stuff. They'll most likely follow you home and dump the whole load in your yard if you want it.

Re: Free compost on the side of the road
 

Yea probably is some of that. Think I actually found some screws.... Lol


Yes! That is great! We used chipdrop.com. you can specify what kind of mulch you want, for instance if you don't want cedar but you want maple they can do that. Woodchips are absolutely great for nanner trees!

Re: Free compost on the side of the road
 

Oh wow, that's cool! Maple and birch break down the fastest, so they are great for composting too. Thanks for the idea!