Smartleaf® Compost, Wood Mulch and Tree Programs
Get Your Garden Ready
SMARTLEAF® screened compost and wood mulch are available for sale at the Department of Public Works. SMARTLEAF® compost is $28.00 per cubic yard, and wood mulch is $12.00 per cubic yard. Delivery is available for a fee. Material may also be picked up at Public Works (9217 51st Avenue) Monday-Friday 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Bring your open-bed pickup truck or trailer during the hours listed above and material can be loaded in your vehicle for you. Trucks with a 4’ bed can hold ½ a cubic yard, a 6’ bed can hold 1 cubic yard, and an 8’ bed can hold 2 cubic yards. Don't have a truck? Bring a shovel and your own containers (bins, buckets, bags, etc.) and be prepared to load your containers yourself. We sell in 1/4 cubic yard increments.
- ¼ cubic yard is approximately 10 five-gallon buckets; or 3 paper yard waste bags filled half full
- ½ cubic yard is approximately 20 five-gallon buckets; or 6 paper yard waste bags filled half full
Click here to schedule a delivery. For more information on compost click here, or wood mulch click here. For further questions call 240-487-3593.
Keep Grass Clippings Off the Street
As you take care of your lawn this season, do not sweep or blow grass and leaves into the street. Lawn clippings and debris that are left in the street wash into storm drains and storm sewers, potentially clogging them, which may result in flooding. Debris that washes into storm sewers is transported through local waterways and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay, threatening aquatic life and drinking water quality.
Instead, leave the grass clippings on the lawn to recycle the nutrients or start a compost pile in your backyard (click here for a brochure from the Maryland Department of Agriculture.) Clippings may also be placed in paper bags or reusable containers for weekly curbside pickup on the same day as your trash and recycling collection.
Tree Programs
Trees provide many benefits such as reduction of cooling and heating costs, interception of rainwater, increasing property values and improving air quality. The City offers a few ways to help.
- REQUESTS FOR STREET TREES. The City has a program that provides for street tree planting in the right-of-way area, which includes the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. College Park residents interested in requesting a tree can contact Brenda Alexander at 240-487-3590 or balexander@collegeparkmd.gov. The location will be inspected to determine if it is suitable.
- TREE CANOPY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (TCEP). City of College Park property owners can apply for reimbursement of up to $150.00 annually, for approved tree(s) planted on their residential lot.
The completed application should be sent to balexander@collegeparkmd.gov review and approval. Click here for a link to the guidelines and application.
TREE MAINTENANCE:
The City is responsible for tree maintenance in the rights-of-way, City maintained buildings and parks, and on public property. Tree maintenance on private property is the responsibility of the property owner.
