With the early rains, this is the perfect time to prepare your garden soil for a bumper crop of flowers and veggies next year.
Residents of some San Mateo County cities can pick up free compost this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 and 21, at 10 locations from Burlingame to East Palo Alto.
In a literal sense, the compost will be coming home. The dark, rich soil has been made from the yard debris picked up every other week by Allied Waste in neighborhoods throughout its service area. It can be used to enrich the soil in lawns, gardens and potted plants, and around trees.
Menlo Park will distribute compost at two locations, from 9 a.m. until sunset:
• Entrance to Bayfront Park at the end of Marsh Road.
• Flood County Park, at 251 Bay Road.
Residents of Menlo Park and Fair Oaks may take up to one cubic yard of compost — enough to fill about six garbage cans — at no cost until the supply runs out. They should bring shovels, gloves and containers.
Not everyone in the South County is eligible since Woodside, Portola Valley, Ladera, and some other unincorporated areas are not part of the South Bayside Waste Management Agency that is sponsoring the compost giveaway, along with Allied Waste. Atherton is also not sponsoring a pickup.
Anyone with questions about eligibility should call Cathy Hidalgo at 802-3500 or their waste service provider. Or, go to Rethinkwaste.org.
RecycleWorks, a recycling program run by San Mateo County, also offers services throughout the county. Curbside yard trimmings can be made available for large-scale composting, or for backyard composting and worm composting.
Recycleworks also sponsors composting workshops and reduced-price bins. For information, check recycleworks.org.
