Composting yard waste in Saskatoon
Me, I’m greedy about my yard waste. Whether it’s leaves, grass clippings, or the many and varied dead bits from the garden, I throw it all onto my compost heap or pile it onto my vegetable beds for mulch. It’s way too valuable to throw into the garbage, although a shocking percentage of Saskatoon’s garbage cans are filled to the brim with yard waste throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Throwing this organic matter into the landfill is a huge wasted opportunity to help build healthy soil, and also contributes to some of the most harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
If you aren’t able to compost your yard waste on your own property, check out the City of Saskatoon’s Leaves and Grass Collection program, which will expand this year to add 1,000 additional subscribers:
The program will be available to a limited number of subscribers in early May. Participants in the program will receive a green individual roll-out cart to collect their unbagged leaves, grass clippings and non-woody vegetation [ed: tree branches, etc, will NOT be picked up]. The carts will be emptied by City crews every two weeks from May to early November. A schedule of collection dates will be provided to participants in April.
To register, fill out the application form by 15 April. You can also get a form by calling 975-2486. The cost of the program is $40.
If you aren’t in the program but still want to take your yard waste elsewhere for composting, the City of Saskatoon also operates public composting sites starting in April. Unbagged grass clippings and leaves can be taken to the McOrmond Drive Compost Depot (approximately 0.5 km north of 8th Street, next to the off-leash dog area) and the Highway 7 Compost Depot (on the west side of the 11th Street junction) free of charge (watch for the signs).
But don’t forget that composting your own waste is the easiest option of all! For information on how to get started, see the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council’s informative compost resource pages. Your garden will thank you when you give it a dose of that lovely rich black compost!
