City landfill compost
 

I occasionally listen to a weekend radio show with a local gardener hosting. He raves about the city landfills compost and it is free I believe. I dont have any hesitations using it on my lawn as a top dressing in the spring, but am undecided as to whether I would use it in my garden. Any thoughts?

Duane

When we lived down south the town that we lived in came around in the fall and vacuumed up everyone's dead leaves. In the spring they brought it back as compost. (Free.) It seemed like a marvelous idea to me.

Does your town tell you what they put in it?

My town offers free compost that we can pick up at the Transfer Station/Public Works complex. Huge mounds of tempting black soil that are sure to catch any gardener's eye sit 100 feet off the road.

I know the Highway Superintendent and a few years back I asked him what they used to make their compost. Street sweepings, (stuff people sweep up to the road for autumn leaf pickups) lawn clippings that people drop off at the transfer station, brush/wood chips from clearing the sides of the town's roads, [B]road kill[/B] :!: and [I]...sludge from the sewer treatment plant.[/I] :x

...I have yet to pick any up nor do I ever plan to.

Several years ago, our city made the mistake of giving out compost that had high levels of herbicide. Made for some angry gardeners. Now it is carefully tested and they have had no problems. I always miss the news about the days it is given away, but I hear it is really nice stuff for the garden.

Our city offers free compost as well. It's made up of the yard debris we city dwellers dispose of there each season. While they do have strict rules for what is and is not allowed to be disposed of at that site (mainly just plant matter, non-treated wood chips, etc) I'm still a bit weary about using the compost that this stuff becomes. Last year, a neighbor had their yard treated with [I]something[/I] that spilled onto a section of our lawn and killed a huge patch of our grass. Their grass, and whatever it was treated with, went to the compost site. (And I'm sure it was joined by a lot more 'treated' grass clippings as well.) Now, everytime I think about getting some of that free compost (because I really, [U]really[/U] want to) I remember that gaping dead patch of lawn and go hmmmm....:?

I have utilized the free city compost in my area for the last few years. I see the neighbors with their little yellow lawn tags and cringe. I do believe there is a high percentage of fallen leaves that goes into the compost in my area. Even though I am nervous about using it- I have not seen any negative results. The plants grow very well and weeds still grow too. I am hoping that the amount of pesticides and such that is in there is still less than what I'd get off the grocer's shelf. In any case- it is a budget matter for me since my city recently had a huge increase in property taxes- my feeling is- they owe me something for it. So far so good.

Mary Ann

My township collects leaves in the fall and takes them to a large local park to make leaf compost. The site is right by the walking trail and I see how over the months the leaves are turned and how they slowly decompose. I suspect a small amount of grass gets into the piles...but I believe it to be insignificant. The township offers the free mulch in a large pile by the township building...so I help my self several times in the spring and fall with taking a few trash cans full of compost.

My only problem with landfill compost would be
the fact that I send
all of my diseased plants / foliage TO the landfill !

Now they want me to bring it back home ?
I say no-way ~ lol ~ They can keep it !

~ Tom

Our city compost costs about $15 a truckload and is made of of yard waste with treated sludge from the sewage processing plant. I've used it before and talked to the guy that runs the place. He says the EPA or some government agency tests it and it is safer that cow manure, but I am still worried about using it for growing vegetables, especially root crops. I have no problem using it in my flower beds though.

Tyff