Yard Waste Management

 

Yard and Tree Materials Management Earth Friendly Lawn Care Tips Back Yard Composting Weeds & Grass and Noxious Weeds Rules Wood Mulch Soil Testing

Yard and Tree Materials Management

State law prohibits the disposal of yard and tree waste with garbage. Several NW Hennepin cities are cooperating in providing a contract seasonal drop-off site for certain specified yard waste materials for the residents of their communities. The site is located in Maple Grove. The money to operate this contract drop-off site comes from the Recycling Service fee charged to all utility service units in each of the participating cities. There is no additional charge at the gate to residents of contract cities. Proof of residency is required. Only bulk and de-bagged materials are accepted.

Collection

All garbage haulers must offer separate collection of yard waste but the cost for that service will vary.  As a residential consumer, you must select the system that best meets your needs.

Drop Off Information

Seasonal:	Drop-off site is open from April 1 to November 30, weather permitting, Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm, Sunday Noon-7pm.
Materials:	Accepts bulk or de-bagged grass clippings, leaves, garden materials, small prunings/brush and tree limbs 10 inches or less in diameter.
Location:	14796 101st Avenue North, Maple Grove, MN
Site phone:	763-420-4886 (April to November)
Website:	www.mgyardwaste.com
Directions:	Four miles west of 85th Avenue North on County Road 81 to County 121/Fernbrook. Turn left/South on County 121. Cross RR tracks to 101st Avenue North. Turn right/West to site entrance (approximately 1/4 mile).

There is a limited supply of shredded wood mulch and unscreened compost available at the site at no charge. It is not sifted or strained and may vary in quality. The site operator has the authority to control traffic, and to allow or deny resident access to the site.

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Earth Friendly Lawn Care Tips

• Mow frequently and leave grass clippings on the lawn. This adds food and moisture and discourages weed encroachment. Cut no more than an inch off the height at each mowing, and leave grass height 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long. If clippings exceed 6 inches in length, rake them up and mix them into compost, or take them to the drop off site.
• Spread finished compost lightly over your lawn. This helps to improve plant root growth and helps hold in water and nutrients in sandy soils, It also improves the drainage and aeration of heavy clay soils.
• Water early in the morning to avoid excessive evaporation. Watering in the evening or night causes lawns to stay wet and encourages disease development. To maintain a green lawn in cool or warm weather, your lawn needs 1 inch of water per week. In hot, dray and windy weather, it will need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Most sprinklers produce between 1/4 and 3/8 inches of water per hour, or 2 to 4 hours per week. Have your soil tested to determine what lawn management practices you need. a test will tell you the type, amount and frequency needed to fertilize for a healthy lawn. Excess or unnecessary feeding will cost money and time and pollute the environment with run-off.

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Back Yard Composting

Yard waste is a natural resource. If managed in an environmentally sound manner, finished compost can act as a valuable soil conditioner. When worked into soil, compost generally improves drainage and aeration of heavy soils. Yard waste can be composted on properties on which there is a single family detached dwelling or on property operated by the city as an essential service. This must be done in accordance with all city zoning and planning ordinances and in a manner which does not create a nuisance.

General Guidelines

Containment & Structure - Compost materials should be contained within a structure that is rot resistant wood, cement block, or sturdy metal fencing, or in a specially designed, commercially fabricated compost bin which should not exceed 5 feet in width, 12 feet in length, and 5 feet in height. It should be at least 40 feet from any inhabited building not owned by the generator of the compost material, 3 feet from any lot line, and 6 feet from any City park or trail, and should be located in compliance with Zoning Code requirements for accessory structures.

Materials allowed - Only acceptable materials generated from the legal site boundaries of the containment structure shall be allowed into the containment structure.

Acceptable materials include plant materials consisting of grass clippings, weeds, small prunings, leaves, pine cones & needles, fine wood chips, garden debris, and compost processing enhancers.

Materials not allowed - Certain materials encourage odors, vermin, rodents and nuisance problems, and are therefore not allowed.

Unacceptable materials include, but are not limited to, the following: food waste/meat scraps, grease, cooked or raw fish, bones, eggs, dairy products, diseased plant material, construction wood, plastic, glass/metal/synthetics, sewage waste and animal feces.

Additional Detailed Information Sources

• Minnesota Extension Services - Hennepin County Master Gardener Hotline - 612-374-8433
• Hennepin County Environmental Services - 612-348-3777
• Recycling/Solid Waste Administration - 763-493-8006

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Weeds & Grass and Noxious Weeds Rules

Lawn and Land Maintenance - Brooklyn Park City ordinance declares that any weeds or grasses growing on any privately owned lot or tract of land in the city, or upon any public boulevard or similar public property alongside the traveled portion of a street or alley abutting the private property, shall not exceed 8 inches in height, and may be declared a nuisance by the City Manager or designated agent.

Noxious Weeds - Noxious weeds are defined as annual, biennial, or perennial plants that the commissioner of the State Department of Agriculture designates to be injurious to public health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock, or other property. State Statute requires that noxious weeds be destroyed.

Minnesota State Statute requires that all owners, occupants, agents, and public officials in charge of land in their city destroy any noxious weeds that are standing, being, or growing on such land, destroy or eradicate by effective cutting, tillage, cropping, pasturing, or treating with chemicals or other approved, effective methods, or combination thereof. Contact your Municipal Weed Inspector for additional information.

City of Brooklyn Park:	763-493-8126
City of Brooklyn Center:	763-569-3380
City of Crystal:	763-531-1162
City of New Hope:	763-533-4823 (#13)

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Wood Mulch

Shredded tree material, generated from the routine tree maintenance trimming program in the City of Brooklyn Park, is available for pick up only, as the supply lasts. When material is available, there is a pile located at the Central Park parking lot, at 83rd and Noble Avenue North. Residents must provide containers and load the materials themselves. Quality and availability will vary. There is no charge for this material. For additional information, call the Recycling office at 763-493-8006.

The yard waste drop off site occasionally has shredded wood mulch and compost dirt material which is suitable for soil enhancement. This material is available on a limited basis to contract city residents at no charge. This material is not sifted and may not be suitable for all landscaping uses. Due to operational limitations and weather, the site operator reserves the right to control traffic, and to allow or deny residents access to the site.

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Soil Testing

A lawn's need for fertilizer application varies depending on watering and mowing practices. To be certain that your soil is receiving the nutrients it needs, have your soil tested. If you have a lawn service, or if you contract for lawn food application, be sure to inquire about testing services that your contractor may provide. Proper fertilizer application techniques can save you time and money, and can also save our environment! For more information, call or write to:

Soil Testing Laboratory
University of Minnesota
1903 Hendon Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 651-625-3101