And almost free stuff!

Who doesn’t like free stuff? Sometimes almost free is as good. Frugality among gardeners is legendary. Recycling and reusing are watchwords among most of us. Composting is nothing but the most basic form of recycling, This is a list of places, people, things, etc., that we have found available around town that can be had for free, or almost free. Well, if you don’t count your labor.

If you run across a source for something that you think should be on our list, please let us know so we can check it out and perhaps include it on our list. You can email us or use our contact form.

Enjoy!

The Free Stuff

MULCH – We have found two sources of free wood chip mulch in the area.

• City of Lubbock Recycling Center – Located on 84th just west of Avenue P, the City of Lubbock grinds most of the limbs that are brought to the landfill and gives them away for free. Take something to haul it in and bring a shovel or a rake. The recycling center is open Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
• First Presbyterian Church – 3814 130th St. That is FM 1585 and is between Indiana and Quaker. The mulch is piled on the west side of the parking and lot and there is a sign “Free Mulch”. One of the church members owns a tree trimming service and they put their wood chips there for anyone to use free. There are no gates. Just pull up and load your bags, barrels, truck or trailer.

COFFEE GROUNDS

• Several of the Starbucks located in the United Food Stores and Market Streets will give away their coffee grounds for free. You have to ask Sometimes you have to ask. We are trying to work a deal to provide a sanitary container so that we can pick it up in bulk from one of the stores.
• Check with the coffee roasters and coffee shops. Many will work with you if you are needing the grounds for your garden.

Almost Free Stuff

CULL LUMBER – We use a lot of cull lumber in our garden projects. The lumber yards and home centers will occasionally cull the warped, twisted and split lumber from their piles and sell it. SOme of the stores mark this down 70%. Since these tend to be the longer lengths, it is easy to cut them down to remove the damaged part and have a perfectly suitable piece of lumber for a fraction of the cost.