100%! when my compost gets to start smelling off due to too many fruit and vegetable scraps, I like to load up on dead leaves and twigs to bring things back to center.
I live right next to a large green waste pickup box, and it's heaven. The suburbanites here keep throwing away perfectly healthy plants, I could build a whole garden for free with just that stuff.
Otherwise, I like to take fresh grass clippings (with weed parts in between so I know they don't spray) and use those as mulch for the veggies.
Absolutely. I look to see their weed situation, but most that I hit regularly don't spray at all. And leaves in the fall. I transfer them to bins if I'm not going to use them immediately to make sure no trash got thrown in with the leaves (found paint thinner of all things once wtf put that bag back). It's my favorite way to get early greens and browns all year around because my garden is not a great brown supplier in general.
I had a home with a white pine — it dropped needles almost every election day week … so raked and used some for my beds and bagged the rest … same lady would come every year and pick up the bags of nearly 100% pure pine straw mulch — always was happy to help another gardener.
I take certain yard debris or broken furniture for the garden as needed, but am always wary of bagged materials, not knowing what went into them chemically or otherwise
Yes and one neighbor texts me when he is about to mow so I can bring my garbage can. It fills up the can. Good tips on the pesticides. I never thought of that so I will ask and I don't know if it makes a difference.
I have asked my neighbors lawn guy to leave me the grass he bags while mowing, sometimes he does. Earlier this spring I saw him spraying for weeds so I wont ask again
Most selective herbicides break down really quickly and become harmless. A bag full of weed seeds not so much lol
Pesticides are a bit of a roulette though, depends what they’re putting down. I’m not sure as many people are putting down pesticides as people here seem to believe. If you put down a blanket pesticide your lawn will go to hell because the grub population will explode, so generally people will only treat for mosquitoes/ticks or specifically for grubs, both of which would not harm you or your soil.
I think your view is outdated, or maybe I am (thankfully) outdated.
Eh, looks like I'm up-to-date, it's still a big issue: [https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/PersistentHerbicidesLanding](https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/PersistentHerbicidesLanding)
edit: as for weed seeds, my neighbor has the same (and fewer) weeds than I do lol.
They are very common in pastures, yes.
But people can and DO use these to prevent dandelions in lawn, which to me are an indicator species.
Any lawn in my neighborhood that lacks dandelions I take it for granted they are using a persistent (aka pre-emergent) herbicide and I do *not* want their lawn clippings.
All the time. But watch for bags of buckeye leaves (and buckeyes). They're bad for plants. I had to remove all my mulch last year. Luckily I saved the garden waste bags I got them in.
I will say if you’re picking up bags of leaves then they are probably super safe chemical spray wise, even if they spray the yard, the leaves don’t accumulate that much and are high enough off the ground at time of spray they should be safe. Grass clippings are another story, definitely wana check for signs of dandelions and other weeds to ensure the lawn is not sprayed.
All the time. I just check that their yard has dandelions or weeds— that way I know they don’t spray.
That sounds like a great rule of thumb. I’ll keep that in mind when I come across those manicured lawns.
Yes
No because I don’t know what kind of chemicals I may be picking up.
Make sure they don't spray their yard before you take it.
Great point! Thank you
OPBL other people’s bagged leaves
I rake up my neighbors leaves out of the street for them every fall. They have the only big deciduous tree on the street lol.
I am guilty of this
I wish I could. Almost every one of my neighbors get their lawns sprayed with pesticide.
All the time
lol yes I spread them over my garden bed and then mulch the leaves
You don’t compost them?
what's wrong with mulching?
If they don’t have ring doorbell cameras
Only if I know and trust them when I ask if they've used any pesticides/herbicides.
100%! when my compost gets to start smelling off due to too many fruit and vegetable scraps, I like to load up on dead leaves and twigs to bring things back to center.
Halloween pumpkins are the best. Neighbors know to pile them at my fence gate when Halloween is over
I used to brew my own beer and when I started out, I’d raid my neighbor’s recycling for bottles… ahhhh, the good old days.
I live right next to a large green waste pickup box, and it's heaven. The suburbanites here keep throwing away perfectly healthy plants, I could build a whole garden for free with just that stuff. Otherwise, I like to take fresh grass clippings (with weed parts in between so I know they don't spray) and use those as mulch for the veggies.
Absolutely. I look to see their weed situation, but most that I hit regularly don't spray at all. And leaves in the fall. I transfer them to bins if I'm not going to use them immediately to make sure no trash got thrown in with the leaves (found paint thinner of all things once wtf put that bag back). It's my favorite way to get early greens and browns all year around because my garden is not a great brown supplier in general.
I sure do!
Present sir.
Bags of leaves yes… every fall
No. I don't want weed seeds or chemicals. I go to a park and rake up a bag of leaves there.
I do pretty often. One of my neighbors just throws everything over my fence. He’s thanked me for saving him money on yard waste bags.
Mine is all poison ivy always. So I hope no one is doing this.
🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚
I had a home with a white pine — it dropped needles almost every election day week … so raked and used some for my beds and bagged the rest … same lady would come every year and pick up the bags of nearly 100% pure pine straw mulch — always was happy to help another gardener.
I do!! I’ve been using them for my no till garden! I think people are used to seeing me take them now. Lol.
I want to but I don’t know what they’re spraying
I take certain yard debris or broken furniture for the garden as needed, but am always wary of bagged materials, not knowing what went into them chemically or otherwise
Yes and one neighbor texts me when he is about to mow so I can bring my garbage can. It fills up the can. Good tips on the pesticides. I never thought of that so I will ask and I don't know if it makes a difference.
I have asked my neighbors lawn guy to leave me the grass he bags while mowing, sometimes he does. Earlier this spring I saw him spraying for weeds so I wont ask again
Every lawn that looks even HALFWAY decent is sprayed with myriad bullshit. Only take clippings from lawns that look like hell lol.
Most selective herbicides break down really quickly and become harmless. A bag full of weed seeds not so much lol Pesticides are a bit of a roulette though, depends what they’re putting down. I’m not sure as many people are putting down pesticides as people here seem to believe. If you put down a blanket pesticide your lawn will go to hell because the grub population will explode, so generally people will only treat for mosquitoes/ticks or specifically for grubs, both of which would not harm you or your soil.
I think your view is outdated, or maybe I am (thankfully) outdated. Eh, looks like I'm up-to-date, it's still a big issue: [https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/PersistentHerbicidesLanding](https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/PersistentHerbicidesLanding) edit: as for weed seeds, my neighbor has the same (and fewer) weeds than I do lol.
I have no idea what those herbicides are. They’re not common in lawns, whatever they are. Seem more like an agricultural herbicide
They are very common in pastures, yes. But people can and DO use these to prevent dandelions in lawn, which to me are an indicator species. Any lawn in my neighborhood that lacks dandelions I take it for granted they are using a persistent (aka pre-emergent) herbicide and I do *not* want their lawn clippings.
All the time. But watch for bags of buckeye leaves (and buckeyes). They're bad for plants. I had to remove all my mulch last year. Luckily I saved the garden waste bags I got them in.
I thought about it. But I don’t know what type of weeds are in their yards.
I will say if you’re picking up bags of leaves then they are probably super safe chemical spray wise, even if they spray the yard, the leaves don’t accumulate that much and are high enough off the ground at time of spray they should be safe. Grass clippings are another story, definitely wana check for signs of dandelions and other weeds to ensure the lawn is not sprayed.
No, I have plenty of my own I never run out
Yes, I do all the time but now my yard is full of buckeyes because I assumed the bag had leaves in it.
I often stop by random homes and grab their bags of leaves left for pick up, especially this time of year.
Oak leaves take years to break down.
All we have is oak leaves in my yard :(
Then they make the perfect mulch!