Long Beach Sustainability

Mulch Pick-Up Program

The free municipal mulch yard is located in the Willow Springs Park parking lot at 2755 Orange Ave (between Willow St. and Spring St.). 

The mulch yard is currently open. Please keep a distance of 6 feet between you and others to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The current mulch yard hours are:

Monday - Sunday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

This is a self-service pick up, so please be sure to bring your own tools/containers/bags when picking up mulch. The pick-up program is not limited to residents of Long Beach. We ask you to please not block access to the yard or the piles with your car. Also, please help us keep the area clean by throwing away any trash you may come across in the yard into one of the nearby trash cans.

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Mulch Delivery Program

About The Mulch

Every year the City of Long Beach produces an average of 12,000 tons of green waste from standard tree trimming maintenance. The City works to keep this resource from going to landfills by making it available to use in landscaping and delivering to Long Beach residents through our Mulch Delivery Program.

Mulch from City tree trimming operations offers a number of landscaping advantages including weed reduction, added nutrients, soil temperature moderation, water retention, improved soil structure, beautification, and improved root systems. We recommend the mulch be used as ground cover, at least 2" thick (4" if being used for weed reduction). After about 12-18 months, the mulch will become a fine, compost material that can then be worked into the soil.

Funding for this program is provided by state and federal grants through the Conservation Corps of Long Beach. Youth Green Job Trainees and their supervisors will perform the deliveries.

Eligibility & Information

To be eligible to receive mulch through this program, one must be a Long Beach resident and homeowner.

Mulch will be delivered to your property and unloaded in a single location within the property boundaries. It cannot be left on sidewalks, public walkways, or road surfaces. Due to the high volume of deliveries, we cannot spread the mulch or unload it in multiple locations. No wheel barrows or buckets are kept on the delivery truck, so if the desired  delivery location is not accessible by our truck, items with which to move the mulch will need to be provided by the homeowner.

How to Request a Mulch Delivery

The electronic Mulch Request Form is available below for eligible Long Beach residents. One full delivery of mulch is about 1.75 cubic yards.

We are currently experiencing wait times of 3-5 months. 

Mulch deliveries are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Deliveries are currently offered on Fridays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

After submitting the Mulch Request Form, you will be contacted via email with your scheduled date and time of your delivery, along with a request to confirm your delivery date. We will not deliver without confirmation. If you have not received an email within 7 business days, be sure to check your spam folder.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mulch Delivery

• Who is eligible for a mulch delivery?

  All Long Beach residents are eligible to receive free mulch deliveries. The property owner must submit the request for mulch.

• When can I expect the mulch to be delivered?

  Mulch deliveries are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Deliveries are currently offered on Fridays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
  The wait time for mulch deliveries varies depending on demand. The current wait time is 1-2 months.

• What time will the mulch be delivered?

  Mulch deliveries may arrive any time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The route for each delivery day is optimized and determined by the location of the day’s deliveries to ensure the most efficient delivery route and minimize miles driven. We are not able to provide a specific time for which your mulch will arrive. The homeowner does not need to be available to receive the mulch delivery.

• Where will the mulch be delivered?

  Mulch will be delivered to your property and unloaded in a single location within the property boundaries. The default delivery location for mulch is in the driveway. In the Mulch Request Form you will have the opportunity to specify if you would like the mulch delivered elsewhere. It cannot be left on sidewalks, public walkways, or road surfaces. 

  Due to the high volume of deliveries, we cannot spread the mulch or unload it in multiple locations. No wheel barrows or buckets are kept on the delivery truck, so if the desired delivery location is not accessible by our truck, items with which to move the mulch will need to be provided by the homeowner.  Some residents choose to lay out a large tarp to deliver the mulch onto.

• Can I receive the mulch delivery in the backyard?

  Mulch deliveries can be placed in the backyard, however, the homeowner must provide access to the backyard for the mulch delivery team in-person or leave a signed note authorizing the mulch delivery team to enter the backyard.

• I submitted a mulch request. Why haven’t I received my delivery date?

  Please allow up to 5 business days for staff to contact you via email with your scheduled delivery date. If you have not received your delivery date after 5 business days, check your spam folder. If you still cannot find your delivery date email in the spam folder and 5 business days has passed, you may follow up with staff via email at mulch@longbeach.gov or phone at (562) 570-6356

• What if I need to cancel or change my delivery date?

  You may cancel or request to reschedule your mulch delivery by email at mulch@longbeach.gov or phone at (562) 570-6356. If you want to change your delivery date, keep in mind the next available date will be impacted by the current demand. There may also be earlier slots made available by cancellations.

• How much mulch can I get?

  Residents may request one mulch delivery per address at a time. If you would like an additional delivery of mulch, please wait until after your currently pending delivery has been completed before submitting an additional Mulch Request Form. You may receive a rejection email if you have two pending requests for mulch.

• How much mulch comes in a delivery?

  Residents may request a full delivery or a half delivery. A full delivery is approximately 350 gallons of mulch, or 1.75 cubic yards.   

  The mulch is delivered in rolling bins, similar to the trash bins you likely have at home. A full delivery is 10 rolling bins, and a half delivery is 5 rolling bins.

• Should I request a full or half delivery?

  The amount of mulch you might need will depend on how much ground you need to cover and the purpose. We recommend you cover the ground in at least 2 inches of mulch. For weed reduction, 4 inches is recommended. 

  A full delivery spread out 2 inches thick will cover approximately 15x15 feet of space. A full delivery spread out 4 inches thick will cover approximately 7.5x7.5 feet of space.

• What if I don’t live in Long Beach?

  Only Long Beach residents are eligible for mulch deliveries. If you are not a Long Beach resident, mulch is available for free pickup at the Municipal Mulch Yard located in the Willow Springs Park parking lot at 2755 Orange Ave (between Willow St. and Spring St.) Take a look at the “Mulch Pick-Up Program” section of the Mulch Program webpage for more information on self-service mulch pickup.

• What is mulch used for?

  Mulch offers a number of landscaping advantages including weed reduction, added nutrients, soil temperature moderation, water retention, improved soil structure, beautification, and improved root systems. We recommend the mulch be used as ground cover, at least 2" thick (4" if being used for weed reduction). After about 12-18 months, the mulch will become a fine, compost material that can then be worked into the soil.

• Where does the mulch come from?

  Our mulch comes from City tree trimming. Every year the City of Long Beach produces an average of 12,000 tons of green waste from standard tree trimming maintenance. The City works to keep this resource from going to landfills by making it available to use in landscaping as mulch. 

• What is the quality of the mulch?

  The appearance of mulch varies due to the variety of trees that are trimmed. Sometimes the mulch may be greener and fresher than mulch that can be purchased at nurseries or home improvement stores. The ratio of woody material to leaves in the mulch may also vary depending on the season and the types of trees that are trimmed.  

  You may discover mold in your mulch. This mold naturally occurs in mulch kept in piles due to the decomposition process. If you notice a large amount of mold in your mulch, you may want to wear a mask when spreading. Once your mulch is spread and exposed to light and air, the mold will go away.  

  Because insects are naturally attracted to mulch piles, you may discover insects while spreading your mulch. The mulch is sourced locally and these insects are common in the Long Beach area. If you encounter white grubs about 1 inch long, they are likely of the fig-eater beetle species and are easily removable (these are the bright green, iridescent beetles seen throughout the summer). Chickens are very fond of these grubs.  

For more information contact:

Mulch Program
Mulch@longbeach.gov
Office: 562.570.6396
411 W. Ocean Blvd., 3rd floor
Long Beach, CA 90802