Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are an excellent way to reduce stormwater runoff and prevent pollutants (like fertilizer, salt, car fluids, or pesticides) from going into our local streams causing harm to fish and other aquatic animals. Rain gardens capture runoff and allow it to slowly soak into the ground with layers of soil and plants naturally filtering and removing pollutants.

Did you know a rain garden can absorb 14 times more rainwater than a lawn? For more information including how to get started, check out the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Prince George’s County Rain Check Rebate website with information on rain gardens.

Rain Barrels

The City offers 50-gallon rain barrels for $80. Once installed, Prince George’s County residents can apply for a Rain Check Rebate, off-setting most of the cost!

Rain barrels are a great way to capture rain water on-site. In the spring, and summer, outdoor watering accounts for a large percentage of water consumption. By having a rain barrel and storing rainfall, you’ll have water for outdoor watering needs.

Be sure to check out the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Prince George’s County Rain Check Rebate website with information, including how to get a rebate for the purchase of rain barrels.

UPDATED 3/14/2023 - deliveries started

Gardening Materials

Click here to schedule a delivery

Hours for compost yard are Monday - Friday from 8:00 - 11:30 am and 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
Customers can shovel their own product, or DPW will load trucks or trailers.
Deliveries begin in March and run through late October.

Compost and wood mulch are excellent and eco-friendly ways to help your gardens grow. Both products are offered by the City and are made from organic materials (yard waste like leaves and grass). Residents and non-residents can purchase non-chemically treated compost and wood mulch from the City.

For more information regarding compost, including how to purchase, use or even make it, please click here to read the City’s Compost Guide.

Wood Mulch

Wood mulch is made from natural wood waste collected in the City such as branches, tree stumps, sticks, shrubs, and logs. An industrial grinding machine is rented to process the wood into shredded mulch. When using it as the top layer of your planting beds, wood mulch helps to conserve soil moisture and inhibit weed growth.

How much is the City’s wood mulch and how do I purchase it?
The City’s wood mulch costs $12.00 per cubic yard including tax. Anyone (residents or non-residents) can purchase some by contacting the City’s Department of Public Works during business hours.

We accept cash, check and credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover).

Interested in purchasing for your business or organization? Contact the Department of Public Works for further information.

Delivery
Pickup

DELIVERIES:
Click here to schedule a delivery

Hours for compost yard are: Monday - Friday from 8:00 - 11:30 am and 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
Customers can shovel their own product, or DPW will load trucks or trailers.
Deliveries begin in March and run through late October.

Deliveries begin in March and run through late October.

DPW can deliver compost and wood mulch for a fee to your home, or community garden depending on the location. Our trucks hold 6-cubic yards, and there is a minimum of three cubic yards for delivery to non-College Park addresses.

Delivery Fees

Delivery Requirements

College Park locations are $20.00 per delivery; minimum 1 cubic yard.
Adelphi, Beltsville, Berwyn Heights, Greenbelt, New Carrollton, Riverdale and University Park are $60.00 per delivery; min. 3 cubic yards.
Bladensburg, Brentwood, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Glenn Dale, Hyattsville, Landover, Lanham, and Mt. Rainier are $70.00 per delivery; min. 3 cubic yards.
Bethesda, Bowie, Burtonsville, Capital Heights, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Laurel, Largo, Silver Spring, Takoma Park and Wheaton are $80.00 per delivery; min. 3 cubic yards.
Cabin John, Columbia, District Heights, Olney, Oxen Hill, Rockville, Savage, Suitland, Upper Marlboro, and Washington, DC are $100.00 per delivery; min. 3 cubic yards.

Please make sure that there are no low hanging wires or tree limbs for where you want the City to unload the material. The City’s trucks are 13 feet tall and the truck bed will rise 20 feet to unload the material.
Delivery areas need to be at least 11 feet wide to accommodate our delivery trucks.
Materials cannot be unloaded in the street or right-of-way.
You must have a paved/concrete/gravel/compacted surface that the truck driver can access to unload the material.
Drivers cannot drive over curbs and trucks cannot drive on grass.

FYI

You don’t have to be home for the delivery, but if you have a preferred location for materials to be unloaded, please try to clearly mark the area where you want the delivery to be made (using tarp, chalk, buckets, etc.). Otherwise, the driver will attempt to unload materials as far back in your driveway as possible.

Our drivers make the best attempt to meet your delivery request, but overhead utility lines, tree limbs, or other obstructions may make it difficult for the driver to unload materials in an exact location. Your flexibility is appreciated.

We are not able to offer you a time frame for delivery. Deliveries are generally made between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. We can give you a courtesy call to tell you that we are on the way. If you need to reschedule your delivery, please give notice at least one business day in advance.

City Gardens

Rain Gardens

Rain Barrels

TREES

GARDENING & LANDSCAPING TIPS

Gardening Materials

Wood Mulch

FYI