How to Find Affordable Mulch

Spring and summer is the time of year that people want to go outside and make their yards beautiful.  To create beautiful flower beds, a good mulch is a requirement. Mulch can get expensive along with all of the other required landscaping items.  By following a few simple tips you will be able to find affordable mulch for your landscaping project.

Call your local nursery.  Many of them will sell mulch by the truckload which is much cheaper than trying to buy it by the bag.  You can back the truck up and unload it directly to the flower beds that you are going to use it on. If you do not need all of it at one time, you can dump it in one spot on your property and use your wheelbarrow to move it where and when you need it.

Call a local stable.  Here you can find composted piles of rich manure that are a valuable fertilizer in your landscaping beds.  Many times they will let you load a truckload for free or very inexpensively.  This can be mixed with wood chipping or other organic materials for a very rich but cheaper source of mulch.

Visit your local home improvement store. Look for torn bags of mulch which they are usually willing to sell you at a steeply discounted price.  Mondays are usually a good day to look since some bags are usually damaged by the weekend crowd.

Call your local dump or waste management area. Many times the dump will have a separate site for tree trimmings and other wood products that have been cut and run through the chipper by the utility company and other contractors.  There may only be certain days that this area is open depending on where you live but this mulch is usually free.

Call your local tree trimming businesses. See if they are willing to bring you the trees that they have cut and chipped.  Since they are paying to dump it at the dump they may be willing to bring it to you for free.

Create your own. Many homeowners have landscaping projects that involve taking down trees and shrubbery that you no longer want, rent a wood chipper and create your own.  Look and see if you can find a free composter through different recycle programs within your city.  Remember to save the paper out of your shredding to add to your flower beds as well.

Visit and post ads on freecycle and other sites dedicated to this cause.