How to get free mulch if I don't have a huge driveway?
Hi,
I am trying to sheet mulch my yard. I've found several companies that offer free mulch, but you need to have a HUGE driveway! My home has a teeny tiny driveway, so the truck that delivers the mulch wouldn't fit. I get the impression that the companies will not dump in the street, which I guess is understandable. So is my only option to buy mulch? It seems like such a shame to spend a bunch of money on something that I could get for free. Any suggestions? I'm sure this issue must have come up for others, since many Berkeley homeowners have small driveways.
Thanks so much for your help!!
Oct 14, 2016
Parent Replies
Free may not always be the answer.
Will your driveway fit a car. What do you mean by tiny? Maybe your driveway is big enough.
Sheet mulching according to google is
Sheet mulching is a layered mulch system that nurtures the soil and replaces existing lawns or other vegetation, eliminating the need to remove unwanted plant material. The first layer is a biodegradable weed barrier—usually cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper—placed directly on the ground.
Questions,
What kind of material are they giving you for free. Is it toxic. Is it ground up eucalyptus? What is it. Will it do more harm than good for your environment. Are you just saving them money they would have to pay to dump their waste elsewhere?
Are you trying to keep the weeds down? Retain water? Grow vegetables or what?
I would recommend using straw, maybe on top of a clean Cardboard. Organic food boxes? You can buy straw at the Golden gate fields or the place at Ashby and Sacramento, one bale at a time in the back of your car or in your bike trailer.
Don't despair, just ask very nicely if they will deliver to the area at the opening of your small driveway, and assure them that you will provide plenty of space for their truck to pull up. (You can block off the surrounding area with garbage cans the night before.) Even with a large driveway, the trucks don't pull into the driveway, they just maneuver around and dump right at the entry to the driveway. In reality the mulch frequently ends up in the street, and provided you are ready to wheelbarrow it away pronto, nobody seems to mind. I am a Berkeley Realtor and I have seen this done many times! Feel free to call me for more advice -- Holly Rose (510) 847-0656.
Hi
ive occasionally had luck getting a smaller load of mulch when a neighborhood tree is being cut down
Another thought, do any of your neighbors need mulch, have a big driveway, and wouldn't mind you grabbing a few trash cans full for your project?
its nice to team up wfor th neighbors with resources like that.
good luck
If you have access to a small truck, many waste management companies allow customers to pick up mulch for free at their transfer station. That way you could do it at your own pace.
I had this problem too. City of Berkeley puts out free mulch periodically, I think it is on Bancroft about half way between Sacramento and San Pablo, near the tennis courts? Anyone can go pick some up. I once found a number to call where someone confirmed they had some before I came, but I don't remember what department that was. Parks? Or the Corporation Yard which is right near there?
I'm not a gardening expert, but I saw that I could get free mulch from tree trimming businesses, so I looked it up, and from what I could tell, some opinions suggest fresh shredded trees are not recommended because it can negatively impact your soil. Here's a good article from Mother Earth News on what you can do with fresh mulch to prevent problems:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/gardening-techniques/b…