How to Remove Garden Rubbish The Easy Way

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So you’re done cleaning all those leaves, twigs, and tree branches from your yard. What to do with them next? You may simply put them in a bag and bring them to your council’s green waste collection or household waste recycling centre. Or perhaps you can arrange for waste collection and pay for the service charge.

However, waste management is very vital for every property owner. And when it comes to garden rubbish, proper removal and disposal is as important as recycling them. While there are garden rubbish removal services near you, it greatly saves time, money and effort when you do your part in reducing your waste as well as properly sorting and disposing them.

For example, when you mow your lawn, allow some of the clippings to fall onto the lawn so that the nutrients can go back to your garden. And then you can put the other grass clippings straight into the compost bins.

What are other simple and easy ways for disposing of garden rubbish at home?

Sort your rubbish correctly.

Proper removal starts with proper segregation. Teach your household what goes where. Make use of your green bins by putting only what should go in there. Green waste includes garden rubbish like grass clippings and leaves, pruned garden waste, twigs and small branches. Food waste from the kitchen such as meat and fish, pasta, bread and rice, fruit and vegetable scraps also go in the green bins. Other organic materials must also go in there and may also include shredded paper or soiled paper and cardboard like pizza boxes and also paper towels.

Treated timber, large amounts of soil, and plastic bags or plant pots must be separated.

Put them properly in their respective bins.

Another way to make rubbish removal easy is to properly place them inside the bins. Collect kitchen scraps using compostable liners from the Council before throwing them inside the bin. If liners are not available, newspapers will do. The same applies with fruit and vegetable scraps. Wrap them before placing in the bin. It also helps to arrange and layer them with other garden rubbish like grass clippings or leaves.

Reduce and reuse garden materials through composting.

Home composting is not just favorable for your lawn and garden. It also saves you money on fertiliser purchases and bulky waste collection charges.

The Australian government supports home composting and thus provides compost bins at a subsidised rate. You can collect all garden rubbish in there as well as household rubbish. The following year, it will be a valuable resource for your garden.

For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

How To Make Money From Your Yard Scraps

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If you’ve already grown tired of all the scraps inside and outside your home, the smartest decision you can make is to sell some (or most) of them. It’s a great way to declutter your home and earn some money at the same time.

To help you go about the whole process of turning your trash into treasures correctly, here are some steps and tips to keep in mind:

Put some thought into what you want to sell.

No matter how valuable you think all your items are, there’s a high chance you won’t be able to make money from all of them. This is something that you would do well to remember. The best way to choose which items you should sell from your clutter is to set a minimum amount for everything you want to get rid of. A realistic amount would be up to $10. If you think people won’t pay this amount for a particular item because it’s too old or it isn’t functional anymore, consider donating it to charity.

Decide how to best sell your items.

There are different ways for you to sell your item now. You can consider doing things traditionally and hold a garage or yard sale. A garage or yard sale can limit your sales only to a small number of buyers, but you have the advantage of targeting locals who can’t resist the lure of impulse buying.

You can also consider setting up a stall at a local market, school, or church sale. However, you have to pay for a fee for joining such activities.

Another traditional strategy to consider is to sell your stuff at a pawn shop. The most popular of these stores is Cash Converters – they have a branch in nearly all areas around Australia.

Online selling is another option worth considering. The most popular online selling sites today are Gumtree, Quicksales, eBay, and Trading Post. Facebook is also quite useful for selling both brand new and used items so consider using this site as well.

If you’re feeling up to it, you can go both the traditional and online route to reach more potential buyers and boost your sales. Just be wary of shipping expenses and make sure you lay out fair terms and conditions first for all your items.

Prep your items.

If you’re selling toys, clothing, and kitchenware, make sure they are clean. If you want to put price tags on each item, do this in advance and make sure that the prices are clear and easily readable; you can use bright stickers or labels. For pieces of furniture, take note of the measurements. Do the same for bigger appliances and jot down other details as well such as its age, condition, and minor imperfections, if there are any. These are all pieces of information worth putting on your promotional or advertising pieces. If you’re selling online, make sure you take good photos of each item. Arrange each item in a way that showcases its best features.

Price items appropriately.

Lastly, put realistic prices on all the items. If your price too high, it could limit interest. If you price too low, it can also discourage interest since people may assume there is something wrong with the item. If you don’t have any idea of how to fairly and realistically price items, do some research online. Don’t forget to put some allowances since there will be buyers who will negotiate the prices or ask for discounts.

For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

 

Have You Got a Rubbish Buildup?

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The amount of waste produced per person increases as populations grow. In Australia, about 48 million tons of waste are produced each year. This waste comes from three main sources: commercial and industrial waste, building and demolition waste, and household waste.

In Australia, household waste makes up more than half of all solid waste. This is made up of plastics, paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, food scraps, and garden waste.

Burning Garden Waste

Burning rubbish and wood in incinerators and open fires can create smoke which pollutes the air. Unauthorised incineration and backyard burning are prohibited at all NSW council areas.

In places where backyard burning is not allowed, there are actually certain situations wherein fires can be lit outside in NSW. These include some agricultural purposes, eligible hazard reduction work, and authorised fire-fighting training.

Working with Garden Rubbish Removal Experts

Since it is illegal (in most places) to burn garden waste, the best way to dispose of all the rubbish is to invest in garden rubbish removal services.

A reputable garden rubbish removal company is capable of removing all kinds of waste from your garden. This includes weeds, green waste, wood removal, storm debris, miscellaneous junk, garden debris and removal of old fencing.

Garden removal experts won’t just efficiently and quickly remove the rubbish from your garden; they will also recycle as much as they possibly can. Recycling plays a crucial role in decreasing the demand on the landfills. If you let experts remove your rubbish, you do not need to hire a skip bin or even worry about your neighbours filling your bin with their own waste.

 

Choosing the Best Rubbish Removal Company

Be sure to work with a garden waste removal company that has vehicles that can conveniently and easily access your garden so they can load the waste without any difficulty.

They must give you a quote before any work commences and charge you correctly for the amount of waste that must be removed.

You may choose to let the company pay a visit (or pay more than one visit) to your property to make sure that your garden is free from any waste. Most importantly, work with a company that is fully insured and easily identifiable.

Experts will do all the necessary work. And upon completion of the associated tasks, they will thoroughly clean up the site so you can use your yard once again. The best garden rubbish removal service can be the most cost-efficient solution for all your clean-up needs.

For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

Garden Waste Facts

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Ever wonder what household green waste is, where it goes, and why it’s important to properly dispose of it?

An Australian resident is responsible for approximately 400kg of household rubbish every year, 180kg of which is comprised of recyclable food and garden waste. Green waste must never be placed in standard waste bins but must be properly disposed of in green waste bins.

Dumping Garden Waste in Landfills

Rubbish contained in standard waste bins goes to landfills. When the 180kg of green waste ends up in landfills, gas emissions will increase. Every kilogram of organic waste will contain enough carbon to yield about 0.17kg of methane.

In the landfill, green waste is broken down without oxygen. Around 50% of carbon can be converted to methane. Hence, every Australian resident is responsible for the emission of 15.3kg of methane every year. Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases, which are among the fundamental causes of the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change.

What Must Go Into the Green Waste Bins?

  • Flowers
  • Prunings
  • Leaves
  • Small branches and twigs that are not longer than 60cm or thicker than 15cm
  • Grass cuttings and clippings

You must not place rocks, treated timber, plastic bags, potting mix, flower pots, cardboard, paper, general rubbish like batteries, building materials, and dead animals into the green waste bins. Still, plastic bags find their way into these bins, which costs most waste management firms both time and money. This also has a negative impact on the environment, most especially when it gets mixed into compost.

Where Do Green Waste Bins Go?

After the green waste bins are collected, they are brought to a customised green waste processing facility. They will be sorted in here by hand, removing things and rubbish that do not belong in the bins.

After that, the rubbish is passed through a gigantic grinder and laid out in rows, which will then be covered with a thermal material. This thermal material will stop the stink and help regulate the temperature. For three days, these rows will be heated to kill pathogens, weed seed, and pests that might be present in the rubbish.

The composted green waste will then undergo a cleaning process – the ferrous metals such as stainless steel and iron based alloys are removed using large magnets. The green waste will be graded based on size – the big pieces are sent back to the grinder. The end product of this entire process is compost, which can be sold back to gardeners and landscapers.

Australian residents must be serious about properly disposing of their garden rubbish. Compost and recycle everything that you can. Most importantly, use your green waste bin. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

Create Garden Art from 5 Household Rubbish Items

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Turn your unused or old household items into treasures by making decorations from them to achieve a unique design for your garden. Let your garden showcase your creativity and personality.

It can be very challenging to make garden decorations using different recycling ideas. Also, it can be interesting to find materials for DIY and art projects. Moreover, this helps reduce clutter and the environment.

Rubbish You Can Use

Old Tyres – Every year, there are plenty of scrap tyres piling up in vacant plots or solid waste management facilities. Avoid adding up to such a heavy load by recycling a few of them. For instance, you can use them for growing herbs like sage and thyme. You must dig out the soil so the tyres can go into the holes with just their tops visible. Fill the inside of the tyres with soil and plant herbs on it. With the tyres’ thick walls, the spread of herbs beyond the intended space can be prevented. To achieve a fresh, attractive look, paint the tyres in bright hues.

Glass Bottles – Use these as borders for your flower beds. Make them more interesting by using bottles in different colors. But before commencing with the project, you must collect plenty of bottles.

Old Desk – Remove all the contents of the desk and position it in a shaded portion of the garden. To protect it from different elements, you need to paint it to your desired colour. There are seeds that sprout well in the dark while the others need a bit of sunlight. For light-loving seeds, place them on the top drawers while those that require darkness must be kept closed. Always check for sprouting and moisture every day.

Old Boots – You do not have to look for old boots of the same colour, type or size. To make it more enticing, paint quotes or designs on them. Giving good drainage is the most crucial thing when undertaking this project. You need to drill several holes into the boots’ soles before filling them up with soil. You can just place them on benches or nail them up on your fences.

 

Old Jeans – A durable material that you can recycle in many different ways is denim. You can just stuff them with straw or cut off the jeans’ legs. Hook the jeans up so it will be a lot easier for you to fill them.

Start searching the basement and attic for reusable items. You can also look outside your home but refrain from buying new stuff. Simple yet attractive recycled crafts will teach you to appreciate simple skills. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

Cost-effective Solutions to Get Rid of Your Rubbish

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Getting rid of your yard waste and other household rubbish can be burdensome. The task of collecting and disposing can be strenuous and getting rubbish removal services can be pricey if you have lots and of rubbish to get rid of.

Now, how can you get rid of your rubbish the cost-effective way without having to do all the hard  labour?

First: Evaluate the amount and kind of your rubbish.

Some of them need to go straight in the bag for collection such as those that can never be recycled or reused. Recycle what you can. Separate those that you can still use for composting such as garden and grass clippings, leaves, and kitchen vegetable scraps. Composting is the best way to recycle rubbish. Compost is a great fertiliser for your lawn and garden.

Another purpose is to reduce those organic materials that need to be disposed of.

Second: Know the limit of what your local sanitation agency can pickup.

This way you’ll know what kind of rubbish to put in the bag and how much of it can be collected without additional charge.

Third: Bring the rest to the nearest waste recycling centre in your area.

If you have no truck, then simply call them and arrange for pickup. Dumping fee varies either by weight or per load. If it is per load, cut large pieces of rubbish into smaller sizes to save on bulky rubbish charges.

Fourth: Hire a rubbish or waste removal team, most particularly when you have large piles of garden waste.

This proves to be more economical than having to do all the hauling and dumping.

On the other hand, if you have a new lawn or intend to have one, you can also convert those heavy branches and shrubs into mulch by renting a chipper.

Fifth: Investing in some equipment can be more cost-effective and time-efficient, especially if you have a great deal of garden rubbish every season.

Some important pieces of equipment to invest in are a mulching mower, a yard blower, and a shredder or chipper. Not only will these equipment ease your rubbish removal tasks, but they will also help keep your lawn healthy.

The mower, for example, is not just for cutting the grass. While mowing, you can remove the grass catcher and allow the grass clippings to remain in the lawn so that valuable nutrients are absorbed and you won’t need to fertilise so often.

Instead of raking the large piles of leaves, the blower can help you put them into the bags.

Depending on the kind and amount of rubbish you deal with every season, think about the kind of equipment you really need to invest in. If it is too much for your budget, you might want to consider sharing with your trusted neighbours.

There are certainly a lot of cheaper ways to get rid of your rubbish, but cheap does not always mean the best option. You need to calculate, research, and talk to experts at your local waste management centre. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

Responsible Garden Rubbish Disposal

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Different kinds of waste go to the landfill every week. Organic waste is one of them. Organic waste pertains to organic material such as food or garden and lawn clippings. This particular type of rubbish can also include animal and plant-based products and degradable carbon such as timber.

Because of the large amount of organic waste that goes to landfills weekly, all households need to find better ways to deal with this rubbish. Responsible waste management and rubbish disposal are easy to do and each member of the family can pitch in to make sure that this is properly taken care of. They can start by finding sustainable solutions for their garden rubbish.

Below are some responsible garden rubbish disposal tips for households:

Segregate your garden waste.

Garden waste can be classified into two categories: green waste and mixed general waste. Green wastes include grass, leaves, small twigs, and leaves. Mixed general waste includes plastic and paper bags from gardening stores, lawn furniture, bricks, plant pots, soil, and hand branches. Nearly all these items can be recycled, but generally, green waste removal costs at least half as much per load to dispose of when compared to general mixed waste. Because of this, it is best to segregate your waste into two piles and mention this to your rubbish removal service provider since many companies offer discounts for the green waste that they get.

Compost.

Instead of having dead leaves removed, turn them into compost. You can also reduce costs on grass clipping removal by recycling them. Simply leave your grass clippings on the lawn after mowing to return essential nutrients to the soil. This technique also helps the soil retain moisture, reducing the number of times you need to mow and the time it takes for to mow your yard. When mowing, make sure to cut only the top third of the grass.

Use some garden wastes as mulch.

Grass clippings also make excellent mulches. Woody waste such as wood chips can be used, too. However, you can’t simply spread the fresh pile of chips on your yard or garden bed. Because tree trimmings are so carbon-rich, if applied as is, they will upset the balance of nutrients in the soil. To ensure the correct carbon/nitrogen ratio, mix the fresh wood chips with a nitrogen-rich material such as leaves or blood meal and let the pile rest. This mixture can be used fresh, but chips that have been slightly decomposed for six to eight months make the most nutritious mulch.

Sell or give away logs.

Finally, there are still households that use wood burning fires or stoves. If you need to have a tree trimmed or cut down, have the contractors cut it into logs. Put a sign stating “Logs for Sale” or “Free Logs” in front of your home to help others and get rid of these logs responsibly.

Recycling garden organics helps reduce greenhouse gases and water consumption. By practising the right rubbish management techniques, you can make sure stuff from your garden doesn’t contribute to more landfill waste. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.

What Is Legionnaires’ Disease?

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Do you love gardening? Lots of people do since gardening can be fun, exciting and useful.

However, it’s important to observe proper practices as well as observe safety measures against exposure to potentially harmful organisms.

As the rains cease, homeowners, as well as lawn care and landscaping professionals, must protect themselves from acquiring a serious infection as they start spring planting. Legionella longbeachae, which is a potentially fatal strain of Legionella bacteria, can be found in compost heaps, soil conditioners, potting mixes, composted manures and mulches.

Legionnaires’ Disease – What Is It?

Legionnaires’ disease is caused by Legionella bacteria. It got its name after the American Legion Convention in 1976 in Philadelphia wherein several participants became ill with pneumonia. Later on, the bacteria that caused such illness were isolated and identified as Legionella pnuemophila. It was further determined that it spread from the air conditioning system of the hotel where the legionnaires were staying.

Most infections are caused by Legionella longbeachae and Legionella pneumophila species. The disease’s incubation period can be between 2-14 days after exposure.

In 2000, the largest Legionella outbreak happened in the Melbourne Aquarium. Here, 125 cases were diagnosed and four people died. Later on, it was discovered that this was caused by Legionella pneumophila found in the cooling towers of the Aquarium.

Mode of Transmission

Legionnaires’ disease is acquired by inhaling aerosols containing the bacteria. It cannot be passed from one person to another or from an animal to person. Also, it cannot be acquired from washing in or drinking water that is contaminated with the bacteria. However, it can be passed from hand to mouth and through ingestion, which makes smokers very vulnerable.

Who Are at Risk?

Not everyone can acquire Legionnaires’ disease; only those with compromised immune systems are at risk. These will include those who are more than 65 years old, who have chronic lung disease or diabetes, who are suffering from any health condition that suppresses the immune system, smokers and heavy drinkers.

What to Watch Out for

Symptoms are somewhat similar to a severe flu. These include high fever, severe headache, dyspnea or shortness of breath, diarrhea, muscle aches, loss of appetite, dry couch, and confusion.

Legionnaires’ disease can only be diagnosed by specialised laboratory tests on sputum, blood or urine samples. Once you are diagnosed, you will be prescribed antibiotics that are very effective against the bacteria.

Prevention Tips

To minimise the growth of these deadly bacteria, regulations and guidelines are in place in Australia. For instance, gardeners are advised to use a face mask so they won’t inhale the detrimental aerosols. They must also wear gloves whenever they perform gardening tasks. Moreover, they need to keep the mix damp and always wash their hands after handling it.

If you are not sure about the correct ways to deal with gardening tasks, your best option would be to hire a fully trained team to get your gardening done for you. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.