Mulch Store

The Mulch Store is a key community resource for landscaping materials in the Twin Cities Metro area. Most of our products are created from our recycling and composting efforts in which we promote and develop with many of the communities within the metro area. Our products are used in applications from your backyard garden to commercial rain gardens and highway restoration projects to help improve the soils that surround us. We're fully committed to keeping the communities where we work and live beautiful and sustainable. Our facilities sell a variety of landscaping products to help achieve that goal.Many of our sites also accept yard waste, wood waste, soil and sod for drop off. Click on the site nearest to you for more information about disposal and product availability. Our Empire site also accepts commercial and residential organics for recycling. The Mulch Store has four Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) certified sites to process Ash tree waste. All Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) quarantined materials (branches, limbs, stumps or yard waste mixed with brush) are required by the MDA to be taken to a certified facility. The quarantine area consists of Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Dakota Counties. During the EAB flight season, brush material may NOT be removed from these counties. Please contact our main office at 952-946-6999 if you have further questions.

DISPOSAL

All Mulch Store sites, except Rockford, accept yard waste, wood waste and soil & sod for drop off during normal business hours. Our Empire site accepts commercial and residential organics for recycling. 

Yard Waste, Wood Waste and Soil & Sod for Drop Off

• Leaves & Grass ($8.00/cubic yard)
• Brush ($8.00/cubic yard)
• Logs (6'-16') ($13.00/cubic yard)
• Logs (>16') ($25.00/cubic yard)
• Stumps ($40.00/cubic yard)
• Wood Chips ($6.00/cubic yard)
• Sod and Soil ($10.00/cubic yard)

Figuring out how much brush or soil you have can be done by measuring the length x width x height in feet and dividing by 27. This will tell you how many cubic yards you have.

Other useful size references are:

• 1 yd is approximately 6 full wheel barrows
• A medium size pickup holds approximately 1.5 yards of material level with the side rails
• A full size pickup with a regular box holds approximately 2 yards of material level with the side rails
• A full size pickup with an extended box holds aprroximately 2.5 yards of material level with the side rails

Compost

It all begins with the soil. Plant health, water quality, and our foods nutritional value starts with the soil in which we have under us. Compost is a low cost all natural way to rebuild our soil structure and health for almost all soil conditions in which we may encounter on any site. It is much more than just organic matter, it is an entire ecosystem that helps create the perfect environment for your plants to thrive. It can be used for topdressing and seeding lawns, planting new gardens, amending soils and raingardens to clean our waters, erosion control, farming, and so much more. See our links below for more information on compost uses and benefits. It’s time for you to try it…nature has only been doing it for millions of years!

Compost, which is made at The Mulch Store facilities from yard trimmings and organic waste, meets the United States Composting Council's Seal of Testing Assurance Program (STA). This testing program is the best way to know that the product you are using is “finished” and safe for use. This quality compost product is also used as a soil amendment to The Mulch Store's numerous soil blend and topsoil products.

Organics Recycling-Available at our Empire Location!

Organics are accepted at the Empire site only. Please deliver food waste recycling 1 hour prior to closing. After hours delivery by appointment only.

Unacceptable materials:

• PLASTICS of any kind including, styrofoam, plastic bottles, condiment packets, plastic packaging, chip bags & candy wrappers and compostable plastics that do not meet BPI Certification standards.
• Fast food wraps, plastic coated paper, freezer boxes, etc.
• Milk Cartons, and other beverage cartons.
• Cardboard boxes coated in wax.
• Wood pallets.
• METAL items including: foil, metals, cans
• Clothing
• Glass
• Diapers, sanitary products, pet waste

What is commercial scale organics recycling?

Commercial scale organics recycling is the newest form of recycling available to businesses and residents in a growing number of communities. It involves the collection of organic materials such as food waste, non-recyclable paper waste and yard waste in a separate collection container. This material is received at our Empire Township compost facility where our professional composting staff processes it into a valuable soil amendment.

Just as collecting recyclable items such as paper, plastic and aluminum varies based on your garbage hauler and location, collection of organics may vary as well. For example, paper, glass and aluminum can all be collected together in some locations and in others they may need to be separated. This is similar for your organic waste. In some areas, yard waste such as leaves and grass can be collected with your food waste and in others food waste will need to be separated from yard waste. Contact your local garbage haulers to find out more information on this service. If organics recycling is not available in your area, residents may also transport their own organics to the Empire Township facility. Commercial customers should contact us online for pricing.

How is this different than a backyard compost pile?

Backyard composting is limited to include yard waste, and select food waste such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, flower trimmings, etc. You should not include meat, bones, pet waste, or dairy in your back yard compost pile. Commercial scale composting can process everything a backyard compost pile can take plus, meat, dairy, bones and non-recyclable paper. It may also be more convenient for those who may have not have the space or time to compost.