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How to Get Free Mulch for Your Pittsburgh Garden

Posted on April 16, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Francesca Dabecco

Francesca Dabecco

It’s planting season in Pittsburgh! (brebca / Getty)

It’s planting season in Pittsburgh! (brebca / Getty)

Pittsburgh residents can beautify their gardens with free mulch thanks to the city’s annual Christmas Tree Recycling program. This year, the City of Pittsburgh diverted more than 2,300 Christmas trees from the landfill.

Pick up is at the Pittsburgh Zoo overflow parking lot from dawn until dusk on Saturday, April 20 and 27. Don’t forget to bring your own buckets, gloves, and shovels!

Wondering what to use the mulch for? It’s great for landscaping and cover for acid-loving plants like hydrangeas and dogwoods.

Live outside the city? Lots of smaller municipalities in and around Allegheny County offer free dirt, compost, or topsoil for pickup throughout the planting season.

🌱 How To Start Your Backyard Garden

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