What to do with all those clippings, trimmings, pulled weeds? (grass, back yard)

[Austinitegirl]

So... kinda stupid amateur gardener question...

What the HECK should I do with all those grass clippings, pulled weeds, uprooted sod (from a new flowerbed), hedge trimmings, etc.?

I've been just throwing them away, but that feels crazy wasteful. I'm not exactly in the running for Ms. Green Living of the Year, so I don't have a compost pile, and I have a very small back yard, so there really isn't space to start one.

Other (easy) ideas??

Thanks!!

[Phawk57]

Check and see if your city does composting. In some places you place your plant refuse in special bags and the city hauls it away and composts it.

[firebll31]

In our town, they have a special site at the landfill to dump leaves and grass clippings. But you have to haul your own and remove it from the bag to dump on the pile. We line a truck bed or trailer with a large tarp, then just slide the trimmings off. The city then stirs up the compost occasionally and when it is ready it is available free to the public for mulch. If your town doesn't have one already, maybe you should start a campaign!

[Dusty Rhodes]

OR.....pile it someplace in the sun and create your own compost pile, ya really don't need a lot of space to start one up. OR.....use it for mulch.

[suzy_q2010]

Lotsa sizes and styles to choose from. Don't need much space:

Compost Bins | Compost Bin Equipment and Supplies

[Austinitegirl]

Originally Posted by suzy_q2010

Lotsa sizes and styles to choose from. Don't need much space:

Compost Bins | Compost Bin Equipment and Supplies

Eeee - awesome link (I never knew there were so many varieties!), but most of those are out of my budget range, which is one of several discouraging reasons to NOT start a compost pile. But, I do like another poster's suggestion of simply tossing it in a sunny corner and letting it compost on it's own - I was just slightly turned off by the idea of an unsightly pile of grass clippings, pulled weeds and hedge trimmings in a corner of my (small) yard.

I am also going to research the idea of taking it somewhere in the city - I'm fairly certain there is a city-wide composting program, and I really wouldn't mind tossing the bags of grass clippings in the back of my SUV and hauling them over there. It would make me feel better than just throwing it away.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks - keep 'em coming!

[arbyunc]

You can easily make a compost bin out of just about anything. Large plastic trash cans work great. Just drill holes all around and on the bottom for drainage/aeration, load it up, and you're all set.

[Austinitegirl]

Originally Posted by arbyunc

You can easily make a compost bin out of just about anything. Large plastic trash cans work great. Just drill holes all around and on the bottom for drainage/aeration, load it up, and you're all set.

I've heard that too, but what about the rolling - would it need to be rolled or turned from time to time to advance the composting process?

I had a co-worker who made her own compost trash can, but she said the rolling/turning part was really hard on her back, which has discouraged me from the do-it-myself idea.

[Bulldogdad]

Maybe some of these are in your price range

Costco - Your search for "compost" produced 8 results.

[springazure]

Just get a roll of chicken wire fencing and put it up in a circle. Cheap and easy compost bin!!!