I have used their mulch once and will never do so again. I had to pay delivery too because I live in Kenneth City. There are weed seeds galore and the majority of the bark chips are were way too big and will never disintergrate.

I have used free mulch from Martin County by the truckload. Yes, it may contain seeds and some pieces that didn't make it fully through the chipper. But it is free and plentiful and the plants love it. It disintegrates into a rich compost fairly quickly and you must replenish it twice a year. Sure beats buying bags of cypress mulch that has led to the deforestation of cypress stands in our few remaining natural areas. If you're looking for a pretty mulch for decorative purposes, skip the free mulch. If you looking for beneficial mulch that is good for your garden and our environment, go for the free mulch.

I live in Belleview up by Ocala. Have used their mulch and will never do it again either. To many weed seeds. And I even used preen to try to stop them and still got a million of them.

I agree with the statement above of "palmcityfl".
I got several truck loads of free mulch from the tree trimmers of Sumter electric. I have seen little seeds for the exception of pine. The branches go into the machine and into the truck then they drop the fresh stuff in piles on my property. So I get no seeds of weeds. I lay card boards and news papers in the flower beds then I add the mulch.
When I make new beds I put the card boards right on the grass and weeds then heavy ammount of mulch. Every thing
under just dies.
That is how I made my rose garden beds and paths.
I also am finding that it is breaking so well and improving the soil.
Hi,Funnylady,I'm giving you a personal invitation to come to visit Sylvia and I,here in Summerfield. It was so nice for both of us to meet you at the Deland swap.
Felix

Hi Felix
Sure would like to come visit you and Sylvia sometime. You don't have an e-mail address on your MY Page but I have, send my your phone number and we will make plans.

Saintpfla, the free mulch from the city of St Petersburg is supposedly composted at a high enough temperature to kill any weed seeds. I don't know if I believe it, but that's their story anyway.

I've seen the free mulch at the brush dump site on 20th Ave N near the Home Depot. It was not attractive looking, very dark, with lots of big pieces of wood (think of the size of your forearm). I decided not to use it because of the big pieces.

John

I tried a few loads of the free stuff that the city here in NPR have and will not do it again not only is it thick and large it smelled horrid not to mention when i rinsed it off befor putting it into my garden there was alot of oily residue that came off the wood was leaving rainbow trails like motor oil does thank god i decided to rinse it first befor contaminating my soil.

I've used the free mulch many times and it turns quickly into good garden soil. Also have called tree trimmers for free mulch and they will deliver it free to my driveway (I usually tip the driver). Also, I go to a nearby horsebarn for manure and sawdust. I have great garden soil. Weeds will pop up no matter what you use, the seeds fly through the air. My biggest problem with free mulch is lots of little palms. But the price is right and I enjoy the work.
theo

I would think the free stuff would be great in an area where growing things could be hoed around. Also, if you got it early enough before planting, it could be solarized. Too late this year probably...

I use the free stuff all the time.
It has transformed my yard into the "garden" it is today.

The dark stuff is what you want.
It has been sterilized. Free of bugs and weeds.
Sure there are some "logs" in there - I leave them behind.
This is an exert from the Pinellas County Utilities
on how they sterilize their mulch........cheryl

Sterilization Process
In order to be recycled, yard waste must be collected separately from garbage and delivered to a mulch processing facility. The Pinellas County Utilities mulch facility (located at Solid Waste Operations in St. Petersburg) uses a natural sterilization process prescribed by the University of FloridaÂs Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. First, the yard waste is ground up and formed into windrows (long piles) to facilitate natural heating and decomposition. Windrows are maintained at a minimum 130°F temperature with proper moisture and aeration for 45 days. This process kills weed seeds, plant pathogens, and pest insects. The mulch goes through a final screening before it is distributed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sites for pick-up in Pinellas County

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! It's always so great to hear everyone's perspective on things like this and to hear your experience.

My project purpose is to mulch the lee-way area in front of my house between the street and side-walk. I don't want it to be a project in which I have to spend a lot of time weeding, etc., hence my question.

Last year, I bought bags and bags of mulch from HD for this area. It's time to add more. This year, I was considering the 'free mulch', primarily, because well, it's free! ;-)

I just didn't know if the phrase, 'There is no such thing as a free lunch' would apply via the cost of time spent weeding half of Pinellas County from my front yard.

Thanks again!

My current mulch is leaves and hay from the zoo so apperance is not an issue lol, seems more pros than cons does anyone know where in Palm Beach County I could find some? I am in the western end near Royal Palm Beach in the Acreage.

Katie

Hi Zoo-Katie:
I also live in the acreage. My email address is on my persoanl page.
Amyway I collect the mulch from the SWA. I have been for years now. I dont have a problem with weeds or the size of the pieces. There may be two sets of mulch. The one you have to load by hand is completely shredded. If you get their bulk mulch, you may have issues with the larger pieces.
I have posted pictures of my garden before. Everything gets mulched - lots of mulch. Even spinach plants on the beds. Without the free mulch and compost - I would not garden!!

Hi Jay
thanks I will look into that I bet they don't deliver since I have no truck and yes I've seen your pictures beautiful.

Katie

Hi - IMPO, the city of St. Pete compost/mulch is obviously NOT the same thing as other municipalities'. I've used it plenty & I've a hunch the 'weed seed' issue may be from seeds that were already there in the soil & became exposed because mulch was either spread too thinly, or mulch had broken down & thinned out. I pile it @ least 3" thick - more is better - & nothing sprouts until mulch had broken down & thinned out.

Also be aware that the city has a higher grade,'prettier' log mulch that is not, AFAIK, composted - this 1 is not free - except @ the Greenthumb Festival, where they give away 2 bags each to attendees.

Also, I do not use this on my veggies - ornamentals only.

FWIW, HTH

funnylady,you got mail!
Felix

A friend in Tarpon Springs had a neighbor who used free mulch and it was full of termites. Had to have it removed and the house treated.

In Orange County residence can get up to a pickup truckload of the compost that they make from the yard waste. Now we usually got it from the transfer stations but it isn't always available. That stuff is pretty well broken down and looks mostly like black sandy dirt. However there will always be some chunks in compost (acorns, bits of sticks, and the bits of the garbage that people seem to insist on putting into the yard waste bags.) Yes, I always find bits of glass in the compost as well as other bits of non organic stuff that people rake up with the leaves and put out with the yard waste.

I have also gotten mulch from one of the Lake county landfills. That stuff is big and chunky shredded yard and tree waste.

We really like it when we can get a tree service to dump wood chips at our place. Use those all over the place (who cares if it is a bit too chunky, it's free.) It all breaks down over time.

I read in the paper this week that 'some' of the free mulch may have treated building products included in it which could contain asbestos and/or arsenic.

So it's a good idea to only apply it to ornamentals and not veggie gardens.