California
Compost bin and mulch programs in California
14 programs in California pay residents for compost and mulch. 11 list themselves as open now, and the median maximum is $108 per household.
Cities and counties sell compost bins below cost, rebate them, or give away compost and mulch made from local yard waste.
14 programs
- Open
Montecito Water District Mulch Rebate
Montecito Water District (administered by CalWEP)
up to $500 per property per year
Up to $500 per household
- Open
Rancho Water Mulch Makeover Program
Rancho California Water District (Rancho Water)
50% off mulch purchases, up to $125 per voucher
Up to $125 per household
- Open
City of Santa Barbara Mulch Delivery Rebate
City of Santa Barbara Water Resources
up to $45 per delivery, maximum $90 (two truck loads) per site per fiscal year
Up to $90 per household
- Open
Chino Basin WCD Free Compost and Mulch Giveaways
Chino Basin Water Conservation District
free compost and mulch (quantity limits not published)
- Open
City of Rohnert Park Free Self-Service Mulch
City of Rohnert Park
Free mulch
- Open
City of San Diego Miramar Greenery Free Mulch
City of San Diego Environmental Services (Miramar Greenery)
Up to 2 cubic yards of mulch free per the City rebates page; wood chips and compost are sold for a fee
- Open
EBMUD Mulch and Compost Coupons (Magic Mulch)
EBMUD with Contra Costa Water District
Discount on mulch and compost; amount not published (EBMUD's rebate page calls them free coupons)
- Open
LA Sanitation Discounted Home Compost Bins
LA Sanitation and Environment
Compost bin $20, worm bin $20, Wing Digger aeration tool $8 for City of Los Angeles residents, while supplies last
- Open
LA Sanitation Free Mulch and TOPGRO Compost Giveaway
LA Sanitation and Environment (LA City Sanitation)
Free mulch and TOPGRO soil amendment; bulk self-serve loading (no quantity limit published). TOPGRO soil amendments are free in limited quantities at select sites; 25-lb bags also available at Lopez Canyon.
- Open
OC Waste & Recycling Free Compost and Mulch
OC Waste & Recycling (County of Orange) with Agromin
Free compost and mulch; no stated limit on self-pickup orders; delivery over 5 cubic yards of compost or 15 of mulch is paid to Agromin
- Open
StopWaste Free Compost Hubs
StopWaste (Alameda County Waste Management Authority) with host cities and farms
Free compost, no per-visit limit published
- Seasonal
City of Cupertino Free Compost and Mulch for Gardens
City of Cupertino
Free compost; limits 96 gallons per week at SMaRT Station, up to 200 gallons per visit at Charles Street hub
- Status not posted
City of Santa Cruz Home Composting Rebate
City of Santa Cruz Public Works (Waste Reduction)
$40 per household, one time; you keep the bin
Up to $40 per household
- Status not posted
NMWD Lawn Be Gone Free Sheet-Mulch Materials
North Marin Water District (NMWD)
Free sheet-mulching materials (compost, cardboard, wood chips); value not published
Other California programs
- Lawn replacement 72
- Irrigation upgrades 56
- Rain barrels and cisterns 22
- Rain gardens and stormwater projects 6
- Stormwater fee credits 1
- Trees 20
- Native plants and pollinator habitat 4
- Wildfire defensible space 22
- Electric lawn equipment 5
- Graywater 9
Sow is not affiliated with any of these agencies or utilities. Amounts and rules change, often at the start of a fiscal year, so confirm the details on the official page before you start a project. How we research these programs
Plan the project before you apply
Sow lays out your new planting on a photo of your yard and builds the plant list from plants suited to where you live.