Free Compost on Earth Day for the Organic Garden

Posted by Jamie McIntosh Apr 22, 2009

This morning I did something I should have done 10 years ago: I went to my city’s recycling center and loaded up my truck with as much free compost as I could carry away. Although I have two large compost bins at home, my planting plans always seem to exceed my homemade supply. I was skeptical about getting the free compost made from the city’s yard waste collection program, as I imagined all sorts of sticks and garbage that the compost might contain. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the compost was thoroughly sifted and screened, and had a wonderfully earthy aroma. My boys eagerly used their miniature shovels to fill every bucket we had, and other than the price of a slightly achy back, my gardens will benefit from this free recycled material.

In my city alone, more than 12,000 tons of yard waste are diverted from the wastestream each year through this program that benefits gardeners and the earth. Contact your city’s sanitation services to see if they recycle the community’s yard waste into free compost and mulch for its citizens.