​Have you been hard at work in your garden and you’re left with a mountain of garden waste to dispose of? This is a challenge many householders face when they do a big winter clean-up or get their garden back in shape during spring or summer.​

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is the huge volume of green waste that’s created during gardening and how to dispose of it as cost-effectively as possible. Here are some tips on the cheapest way to dispose of garden waste:

• Tip 1: If you have small tree cuttings, let them dry out to save on weight (and money) when taking them to the waste transfer station.

• Tip 2: Dry big branch cuttings first, then cut them down to size and use them as firewood or give them away.

• Tip 3: Instead of paying to have your lawn clippings collected at the kerb, or taking them to a transfer station, simply create a space in your garden and let it mulch down.

• Tip 4: Bamboo, flax, and palm and cabbage tree fronds are treated as general waste, not garden waste, so they will cost you more at the tip.

• Tip 5: Buy or build a green waste compost bin in your garden.

5 Free Garden Waste Disposal Options

​There are some easy and practical free garden waste disposal options that will help your wallet and also be better for the environment:

1. Composting

Composting is the natural process where organic material like garden waste is broken down into a nutrient-rich supplement you can use in your garden. It offers many benefits, including enriching your soil, diverting organic waste from landfills, and saving you money on waste removal.

Here are the steps you can take to compost your garden waste:

A. Choose your method of composting to suit your available space and needs. Options include a traditional compost bin, a tumbling composter, or a simple pile of compost. You can buy pre-built composters from outdoor stores like Bunnings or Mitre 10, or you can build one yourself using four similarly-sized wooden pallets.

B. Collect your garden waste, including leaves, grass cuttings, plant trimmings and other fine organic material. Avoid putting twigs or branches thicker than your finger into the compost, as these take a long time to break down.

C. Create your compost. If you’re using a composter, start by putting down a layer of leaves, sticks, newspaper, or cardboard (brown waste). Then add layers of green garden waste, including more brown waste from time to time to aid decomposition and reduce odours. If you’re creating a compost pile, build a base layer of straw or twigs, then alternate between brown and green materials as you add to the pile.

D. Maintain the compost. Keep your compost wet by adding water as needed (if it’s an outdoor compost pile this will probably not be needed). Also, turn your compost over regularly to let oxygen in and aid decomposition.

E. Monitor your composting. As your garden waste starts to break down, the volume will shrink in size, and it will start to smell earthy. Once your compost is dark and crumbly in texture, you can start using it in your garden.

F. Spread the compost. You can use your free garden waste compost on your garden beds, or as potting soil for your house plants. Avoid adding diseased or insect-infested plant material to your compost, as this can cause the problem to spread to your other plants. Also avoid adding meat, dairy products, or oily food waste to your compost, as this can attract cats, rats, and other pests and create an unpleasant smell.

​

2. Mow your lawns without a grass catcher

This is an easy and free garden waste disposal option. Instead of catching your lawn clippings in your lawnmower’s catcher, try ‘grass-cycling’ instead. There’s been a common misconception for years that this process isn’t good for your lawn when the opposite is true.

Lawn clippings contain high levels of plant nutrients and if we leave them on our lawn they break down and return all their water, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus to the soil. This means you save money by not having to dispose of the clippings using a collection service or in a landfill, and they also act as an effective and cheap fertiliser.

Another option is to cut only the top third of your grass each time, which reduces the amount of garden waste you produce.​

3. Use garden waste as mulch

Mulch is any material you use to cover the surface of the soil around your plants. It helps retain moisture, maintain even soil temperature, stop nutrients from washing away, and block sunlight that prevents weeds from growing. If you live in an area prone to frosts, mulch can also protect your plants from frostbite. 

Common garden waste that can be used as mulch includes grass clippings, bark, shredded leaves, straw, and hay. You can use garden mulchers, shredders, and chippers to break your waste down, so it’s suitable for covering your garden beds. 

Chippers are perfect for reducing branches down to small pieces, which not only creates a healthy mulch but is also a cheap way to make your garden look neat and tidy. If you don’t have a chipper, you can hire one from a hire company like Kennards or Hirepool.

4. Cut up wood for the fire

With the price of firewood increasing along with many other household items, cutting up large branches for firewood is another free way to dispose of your garden waste. It can be hard work if you don’t have an electric or petrol chainsaw but, in exchange for a bit of time and effort, you can get rid of unwanted wood for free. 

You can either use the wood yourself if you have a wood burner, fireplace, or open flame barbeque (read about Bbq assembly) or simply place it near the kerb with a ‘Free’ sign and you’ll be surprised at how quickly it goes!

5. Give away unwanted plants and shrubs

If you’re doing a garden makeover, don’t immediately assume you have to turn your unwanted greenery into garden waste. The cheapest way to remove potential garden waste is to give it away or sell it. This will give others the opportunity to enjoy your plants and shrubs and extend the lifespan of the greenery.

Facebook Marketplace has a Plants section, where members sell or give away unwanted items. Trade Me also offers a Plants and trees section. Also, think creatively about how others may put your garden waste to good use. Cut-up ponga tree trunks can be great for garden edging or retaining garden beds, for example.

Low-cost garden waste removal

There are currently no free commercial garden waste disposal options in New Zealand and be aware that it’s against Council regulations to put garden waste into your regular rubbish collection. There are, however, some ways to keep your garden waste removal prices down.

1. Dispose at a transfer station or landfill

All cities and most towns around New Zealand have landfills that accept green waste. Because organic garden waste breaks down and can be recycled into compost or mulch, you will often pay less to get rid of green waste than other household rubbish.

However, you may not have a trailer or towbar on your car, and you don’t want to mess up your vehicle carting garden waste to the tip. Or you may not have the time or inclination to do it yourself. The good news is that you can find a friendly and helpful tasker to dispose of your garden waste through a platform like Ezy Peazy.

However, you may not have a trailer or towbar on your car, and you don’t want to mess up your vehicle carting garden waste to the tip. Or you may not have the time or inclination to do it yourself. The good news is that you can find a friendly and helpful tasker to dispose of your garden waste through a platform like Ezy Peazy.

2. Hire a skip bin

There are many skip bin companies around New Zealand that offer general and garden waste bins from 3m3 to 9m3 in size. Waste Management, for example, offers to take your green waste and, where possible, recycle it into Living Earth compost. 

You can also buy a Flexi Bin from The Warehouse or home improvement stores like PlaceMakers, Mitre 10, and Bunnings. You can take your time to fill it with your garden waste, then book and pay online to have it collected.

Loading a skip bin yourself can be hard work, however, so it may pay to hire some labour like you can through Ezy Peazy.

3. Post your job on Ezy Peazy

Sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to arrange a one-off garden waste collection. A top-rated waste removal tasker you can find on Ezy Peazy can take care of the lifting, loading, and dumping of your garden waste at an affordable price.

They will come around to your property, collect the green waste from an accessible spot, and then take it to a facility that will dispose of it responsibly, or recycle it into compost. You get to enjoy the pleasure of transforming your garden, while an Ezy Peazy tasker takes care of your garden waste removal for you.

​

Paid garden waste collection options

You might be an avid gardener or doing a complete garden renovation over time. If so, you’ll likely need ongoing paid garden waste removal. Costs will add up over time, so it’s worth doing your research on garden waste removal prices.

1. Garden bins

Green wheelie bins are a great option if you need to dispose of smaller quantities of garden waste regularly. You can also get framed garden bags on subscription, or as a one-off green waste drop off and collection. 

For subscriptions, suppliers will often let you choose if you want collection weekly, fortnightly, or monthly pickups. Just like your regular council waste collection, you put your garden bin or framed garden bag out in time for the scheduled kerbside collection and the supplier will empty it for you. Green wheelie bins are often offered in 80-litre, 140-litre, and 240-litre sizes, to accommodate your needs.

2. Regular collection and disposal via Ezy Peazy

If you need a regular, ongoing garden waste collection and disposal service, you can find a reliable and friendly local tasker on Ezy Peazy and arrange a regular pick-up schedule for your waste. 

They may often leave you with a garden bag or bin that they remove weekly, fortnightly, or monthly and leave you with a replacement after each collection. You can arrange the finer details as you work directly with a tasker via Ezy Peazy.

3. Skip bins for large projects

While smaller skip bins are ideal for small-scale gardening work, a large skip bin may be needed if you’re doing a large gardening project. You can even get an extra-large 10m3 bin from some suppliers.

What’s not considered green waste

While most organic material is accepted as garden waste by transfer stations and landfills, some plant material isn’t. Common examples are:

• Bamboo

• Cabbage trees and cabbage tree fronds

• Palm fronds

• Agapanthus

• Flax.

Waste stations will usually accept these plants as general waste, however, but you’ll have to pay the more expensive general waste fees to dispose of it.

Why remove green garden waste responsibly

There are several key benefits to disposing of your garden waste responsibly. Some of the key ones are:

Better for the environment. Green waste can be converted into mulch or compost, which can enrich your garden’s soil so you don’t need chemical fertilisers. Decomposing garden waste also contributes to water pollution, and it emits methane, which is a greenhouse gas.

Cost savings. Responsible garden waste disposal reduces the demand for expensive landfill space. Composted and mulched garden waste can also be sold to gardeners, landscapers, and farmers.

Improved health and wellness. Cutting down on the volume of green waste that ends up in landfills helps reduce the risk of pollution and air, soil, and water contamination. This helps improve the health and well-being of people and animals nearby.

Better-looking neighbourhoods. Disposing of garden waste responsibly helps keep your property and nearby community looking neat and tidy. This improves property values and the overall quality of life for residents.

How Ezy Peazy can help with your garden waste removal

Ezy Peazy is a network of skilled and experienced taskers who offer a range of garden waste disposal options. These include:

• Gardening services, including green waste removal.

• Loading of garden waste into skip bins, garden bags, or trailers.

• Transport and disposal of garden waste at your local landfill.

• One-off, or regular, collection and disposal of green waste.

It’s quick and easy to find a cheap garden waste removal service near you. With Ezy Peazy, it’s safe, convenient, and easy to find a local tasker to take care of your green gardening waste. Plus, you’ll be impressed with their competitive garden waste removal prices.

It only takes a few clicks for you to post your garden waste disposal task requirements online. Add your location, budget, and preferred time to the Ezy Peazy platform for free and wait for the offers to come in. Select your preferred tasker for the job and get your waste disposal task sorted quickly and easily.

You can trust our network of experienced, rated, reviewed, and reputable taskers on the Ezy Peazy platform. Plus, we secure your payment until the task has been completed to your requirements.