Where to Get Mulch for Free? Here are the 5 Best Ways

Free wood chip mulch should be easy to get and we've come up with a few ways to help you out

Wood chip mulch can be incredibly useful for your garden and there are plenty of ways to get it.

We’ve collected some of the best ways to get wood chips, letting you know how to acquire free mulch from wherever possible. Here’s how to do it. 

1. Own a Wood Chipper

Wood chippers are incredibly useful gardening and landscaping tools, able to turn dead or pruned tree branches and yard debris into a healthy pile of wood chips.

There is an initial investment required to purchase a wood chipper, but it can be an incredibly smart decision because it keeps paying for itself with the amount of high quality wood chips it can produce using trees from your own property. With models featuring Twin Flywheel technology like the TF68 PRO, it can quickly turn fresh, green branches into a wood chip pile for immediate use.

Mix in some grass clippings or throw it in the compost bin for a bit and you’ll have a healthy mulch mix to use in your flower beds or vegetable gardens. Collecting yard debris before chipping ensures you have a good supply of material for mulch.

2. Know a Tree Care Worker

Tree care companies often handle tree removal due to storm damage, disease, or other reasons, and generate large amounts of wood debris that is typically chipped and thrown away. It can often be easy to ask for free wood chips from these companies because it saves them money from having to dump it themselves.

Just make sure you have your own shovel to move these chips because you might end up with a lot of them. Sometimes knowing your local arborist can net you a ton of chips, just make sure it’s not more than you bargained for.

Some companies are happy to provide free wood chips to local residents as a way to reduce disposal costs.

3. Local Dump Sites

Sometimes your local government, landfill, or public works department has workers drop tree debris, like chipped trees or logs, in a designated disposal site for mulch pick up. Many cities don’t have a use for this material so it just goes to waste. Local regulations will dictate whether or not you are allowed to go in and take what you want, so be sure to check first.

If you plan to pick up mulch or compost from these sites, remember to bring your own containers or shovels to transport the material.

Even if the trees aren’t chipped already, if you own a wood chipper you can take them back home and chip them yourself to turn them into high quality mulch.

Public works departments often manage these programs and may require residents to schedule a pick up in advance.

Free mulch can sometimes be found in bags at local distribution points or city-sponsored events. Many city programs offer free mulch to residents, often through public works or recycling centers.

4. Sign up for Chip Drop Off Services

Some companies connect landscapers and gardeners with arborists and tree care companies looking to dispose of their wood chips. Just sign up for these apps or get put on a waiting list and then wait and see.

Plenty of people have said it's taken a while but eventually someone will call you up and ask if you're able to take a load of wood chips. You never know what you're going to get, so it could be hundreds of pounds of chips with shredded leaves mixed in.

5. Ask a Neighbor

If you live in a rural area there’s bound to be lots of people with dead trees, either yard trees that need to come down or ones that have been knocked down during a storm.

Ask your neighbors if they need help disposing of the trees, then take them home and chip them using your own wood chipper. If these trees have been sitting around for a while, they may already be partially dry and may have started the decomposition process, making them easier to chip and ready to use as mulch. Using this material as mulch is beneficial for your garden, as it adds organic matter and nutrients to the soil.

Alternative Mulch Types You Can Get for Free

When it comes to mulching, you’re not limited to just wood chips or straw—there are plenty of other materials you can use to cover your garden beds and keep your landscaping looking great, all without spending a dime. Many of these alternative mulch types can be found right in your backyard or neighborhood, making them both cost effective and environmentally friendly.

Grass clippings are one of the easiest free mulch options. After mowing your lawn, simply collect the clippings and spread them in a thin layer around your plants or vegetable gardens. Grass clippings break down quickly, adding nutrients back into the soil and helping to retain moisture. Just be sure not to pile them too thick, as this can lead to soggy, moldy patches.

Shredded leaves are another excellent and readily available mulch material, especially in the fall. Rake up whole leaves, run them through a lawnmower to shred them, and use them to cover your flower beds or garden paths. Shredded leaves decompose over time, enriching your soil and helping to suppress weeds.

Pine needles can also be used as a free mulch, particularly if you have pine trees nearby. They create a light, airy layer that’s great for acid-loving plants and helps prevent soil compaction. Pine needles are slow to break down, making them a long-lasting option for garden beds.

If you have a compost bin, partially finished compost can be used as a nutrient-rich mulch. Spread a layer around your plants to add organic matter and improve soil structure. Just make sure the compost is not too fresh, as it can attract pests or contain weed seeds.

Other free mulch options include hay or straw (sometimes available from local farms or animal shelters), newspaper (use two to four sheets as a weed barrier under other mulch), and even wood shavings from local woodworking shops. Each of these materials can help you create a rich, effective mulch layer that keeps your garden healthy and your landscaping costs low.

By thinking beyond traditional wood chips, you can find plenty of free mulch materials to cover your garden beds, conserve moisture, and add nutrients to your soil—all while keeping your landscaping eco-friendly and budget-conscious.