Many municipalities offer mulch like this -- it's just shredded tree limbs and brush and there's nothing wrong with it. I get it all the time, and it's very useful for paths. In my area, they usually warn people that the mulch should be aged for 12 months before it's spread around plantings, and they also usually say that there MAY be poison ivy or poison oak in it, but I've never seen any and I think they just mention that to cover their rear end in case somebody complains.
You took the words out of my mouth. No offense to the OP, but I'd be careful with free mulch from a sanitation department.
A friend of mine got a birth control device along with his free compost. Hint: It was made from latex, and yes, it was used. This wasn't Los Angeles, but you never know.
Compost/mulch is really cheap at landscape supply lots that cater to contractors. The place I buy from, a tractor fills the back of my truck to the limit (over 1000 pounds). They charge $25 to 30 for a truckload. I've found the quality is exceptional.
And you can stop by city council and hear all the fertilizer tumble out of their mouths to go with the mulch
ryandean
Member
posted: Jul. 12, 2009 @ 11:52a
The little town that I live in is just completing their first sewer treatment plant. I was talking to the public works director about it and he said that they were planning on composting all of the sludge from the treatment plant. They will accept lawn wast and mulch from tree trimming companies. They lay this mulch down in rows and then pour the sludge on top of it and mix it every few weeks. I don't know that much about the process but I don't see anything wrong with using it. I probably wouldn't be touching it with my bare hands but it works great for planting a new lawn. I doubt they would give this away if it was much of a health risk.
Edit: That said, not all municipalities compost their sludge with yard waste and mulch. I used to live in Lincoln, NE and they had a curbside yard waste collection program and just composted the yard waste.
runaway76
Member
posted: Jul. 16, 2009 @ 2:48a
San Diego also has free mulch/compost. I got a truck load by the miramar dump. The stuff is HOT temperture wise. I landscaped my backyard with mulch a couple years ago to keep the weeds down, low mainteance. If I was to do my yard again and knew about this, I would have gotten compost and added it to my rocky front yard before I did it. but too late.
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