Cornwall Ontario – Residents will have a chance to get their lawn and garden in order while supporting the community at the same time.

The Cornwall & District Horticultural Society (CDHS) and the City of Cornwall will be hosting the 8th annual Bark & Compost Day at the City Landfill Site on Saturday, May 11th, from 9 am to 1 pm. The event takes place rain or shine.

“This event benefits the entire community by raising funds for various beautification projects in the City,” said Mayor Bob Kilger.

During the event, wood mulch and compost will be sold pre-bagged or by the scoop. With the environment in mind, residents are encouraged to recycle their bags from last year or bring their blue boxes or other containers for filling on-the-spot by CDHS volunteers. Bags (or containers) of wood mulch and compost will be sold for $3 each. Residents who buy 10 get one free! One dollar from the sale of each bag/box of compost will be donated to the Children’s Christmas Fund for the purchase of cereal and/or milk. 

Residents can also buy wood mulch and compost by the scoop – $25 for the first scoop and $15 for each additional scoop. Two scoops will fill an average pick-up truck.

The wood mulch is excellent for moisture retention and weed control when applied generously to flowerbeds and around newly planted trees and shrubs. It also helps maintain an even ground temperature so plant roots don’t bake under the hot summer sun. This means that plants will thrive with less effort and watering.

The compost is a rich organic matter important for healthy soil. Residents’ leaf and yard waste is collected at the curbside and then composted at the Landfill site. Eighteen months later, the compost is ready to use. A chemical analysis is conducted to ensure it is safe for public use, and users will be required to sign a waiver as mandated by the Ministry of the Environment. When worked into a garden, the compost will help produce prolific plants and at the same time improve soil structure. It also doubles as an excellent natural lawn fertilizer.

“Both of these materials are produced at the Landfill site from leaf and yard waste that is collected at the curb and brought into the Landfill throughout the year,” said Nicole Robertson, the City’s Solid Waste Supervisor. “By doing this, we are diverting waste and reusing the material for beautification purposes.”

Profits from the sale of mulch and compost will be used by the CDHS to support various projects and events. Past and present CDHS projects include:
– Community gardening at a number of venues around the city
– Donations of tulip bulbs for the Cenotaph and container gardens given to local senior residences and Cornwall Hospice

“The Bark & Compost Day fits perfectly with the CDHS’ mandate of promoting horticulture in the community and encouraging the use of friendly environmental practices,” said CDHS Co-President Lynn Blanchard.

The City Landfill Site is located at 2590 Cornwall Centre Road West.