VC Star
By David Goldstein
March 22nd
Ojai Valley Organics opened earlier this month and C&M Topsoils, another mulch-and-compost-making business, will open soon near Simi Valley.
Meanwhile, Peach Hill Soils near Moorpark and Agromin, with locations near Oxnard, Simi Valley and Santa Paula, continue to make mulch and compost every day from the discards of local tree trimmers, landscapers, construction contractors and others. At the same time, the county and some local cities have contracts with their waste haulers to offer free mulch or compost, made mainly from curbside collected yard clippings, to qualified residents.
Before you decide where to get material, the first question is whether your garden needs compost or mulch.
Compost is fully decomposed organic material. Gardeners usually use it as a soil amendment, working it into existing soil to help plants grow. Some mulch may be extracted from compost piles where time and temperature kill pathogens, but the pieces comprising the mulch are still recognizable as bits of wood, not fully decomposed material.
Mulch is usually placed on top of soil to reduce erosion, stop weeds, retain soil moisture and moderate soil temperature.
Both mulch and compost can help prevent erosion following fires, from heavy rain, during droughts or from other causes. Mulch on soil surface works immediately after being applied correctly, reducing the impact of rain, slowing the flow of runoff from a wet surface or buffeting wind on a dry surface. Compost, incorporated into soil, works long after being applied by promoting the growth of soil-holding roots.
Ventura County and some cities provide not only mulch and compost for schools, but also a subsidy for the cost of delivery. Schools outside cities may contact the county Public Works Agency at 805-658-4321 to request free compost or mulch. Schools inside cities should contact their local city recycling coordinator.
For farmers and ranchers interested in incentives available to help pay for use of mulch and compost to prevent erosion, contact the Ventura County Resource Conservation District at 805-764-5155 or emily.nye@vcrcd.org.
Unincorporated area customers served by Harrison Industries, and residents of some cities, may pick up material at Agromin free of charge or they may pay a fee for delivery. The maximum available per customer is 75 cubic yards of compost and 100 cubic yards of mulch per year. Instructions and order forms for unincorporated customers are at ejharrison.com/free-compost-mulch-program/.
Athens Services’ program for residential customers outside cities offers free compost at Athens’ Santa Paula yard, or customers may pay a fee for home delivery of up to 10 bags or 10 cubic yards of compost. Athens also provides free compost at some annual neighborhood clean-up events in some unincorporated communities. For more information and to schedule a pickup or delivery, customers outside cities should call 805-856-0113.
Athens also provides free compost to residents of Thousand Oaks. Athens will offer free compost to residents at the city’s Arbor Earth Day event on April 19.
Additionally, subject to availability, Thousand Oaks’ Public Works Landscaping Division provides free mulch to residents at a site located between the Goebel Adult Community Center and the Grant Brimhall Library children’s entrance, 1385 E. Janss Road.
WM, formerly Waste Management, offers mulch and compost to residents of Simi Valley and Moorpark. Contact those cities’ recycling coordinators for more information, or qualified residents can find out more by entering their address at WM.com.
The city of Ventura’s program, in partnership with Harrison Industries, offers mulch and compost from Agromin with a delivery charge. Alternatively, compost can be collected free from Cornucopia Community Gardens, and compost or mulch is free to city residents with a reservation at Agromin’s office. The city’s website has instructions and coupon codes.
Buying compost and mulch from local sources helps both Ventura County’s environment and our economy. Using local compost and mulch meets state mandates, keeps material out of landfills and recycles nutrients back to the soil. Use from local sources also reduces disposal costs, cuts transportation pollution, supports local businesses and creates jobs.
David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst with the Ventura County Public Works Agency, can be reached at 805-658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org. https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2025/03/22/eco-tip-where-to-get compost-and-mulch-in-ventura-county/82594353007/
