Regular garden work can involve quite a bit of waste at the end of the day. Where does it all go? Garden waste and food take up approximately half of all household garbage, according to Sustainability Victoria; if it’s thrown directly into the refuse bin, it’ll surely end up in the landfill. The local tip will allow food and garden waste to decompose, but it isn’t necessarily good for the environment since trapped and decomposing organic waste can generate methane and other greenhouse gasses that are noxious to human health and the environment.
Here are some ways to dispose of garden waste responsibly:
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Start a Home Composting Programme
Composting at home is one of the most sustainable and practical ways of reducing and reusing (as rich topsoil) food and garden waste. Leaves and food scraps will decompose gradually and create topsoil that can then be used for your home garden. All you need is a compost bin, which can either be bought from a hardware store or made as a DIY project. A latched door is a good idea to keep hungry urban animals from ransacking the bin, but also don’t neglect that the compost bin requires plenty of ventilation in order to decompose its contents.
Special Note on Weeds
Whether you’re planning to compost your garden waste yourself or you plan to arrange for kerbside pickup of bulky garden waste, always be sure to keep weeds and weed seeds separate and covered. Weeds are a nuisance and you may feel that you’re done with them once they’re on the kerb, but quite often wind can blow seeds back onto your property or that of your neighbours or birds may come and pick up these seeds and drop them elsewhere. This is a big problem in Australia, since many such weeds can ravage natural habitats. Environment Australia has more in-depth information on how to dispose of weeds properly.
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Contact Your Local Council
Leaves, grass clippings, and food scraps are ideal for home composting, but large branches and bulky bags of garden waste can’t be disposed of that easily. When you’ve got a substantial amount of garden waste, contact your local council to enquire about your options. Every council has its own programme, but for reference, Melbourne’s Council allows residents to book a free green waste pickup. Depending on your local council’s regulations, be sure to follow the directions for pickup and only provide them with waste that they can use.
Smaller amounts of garden waste can be disposed of on your kerb in the garden waste bin, but be sure to follow their instructions as well. For instance, Melbourne’s Council won’t pick up soil, pebbles, or rocks, nor will they pick up garden waste in plastic bags if found within your garden waste bin. Do your part and separate your garden waste appropriately to ensure that the pickup is quick and smooth.
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Let a Gardener Dispose of it For You
There are many benefits to having a quality gardener on hand. Firstly, they’ll keep your lawn and garden looking green and pristine. Secondly, they’ll free up plenty of time for you to do other things around the house or to relax. Don’t neglect that gardeners also remove your garden waste in an environmentally-friendly manner either. By taking it out of sight and out of mind, the gardener can provide the garden waste to the Council for proper recycling without requiring you to arrange for kerbside pickup or anything of the sort.
Get in Touch With Gardening Angels
Gardening Angels is your go-to gardening and pressure washing service in Melbourne. When it comes to getting the job done right and leaving your lawn lush as well as clean after the job’s done, it only makes sense to contact us today.