The Cornwall & District Horticultural Society, in partnership with the City of Cornwall, will be hosting the 9th annual Bark & Compost Day at the Cornwall Landfill Site on Saturday, May 10th, 2014 from 9 am to 1 pm.

“This event benefits the entire community by raising funds for various beautification projects in the City,” said Mayor Bob Kilger.
Wood mulch and compost will be sold prebagged or by the scoop. With the environment in mind, you may also recycle your bags from last year or  bring your blue boxes or similar containers for filling on-the-spot by Society volunteers.

Bags (or containers) of each product will be sold for $3 each, and residents who buy 10 will get one free! Scoops will be $25 for the first scoop and $15 for each additional scoop. Two scoops fill the average pick-up truck. One dollar from the sale of each bag/container of compost will be donated to the Children’s Christmas Fund for the purpose of cereal and/or milk.

The mulch, locally produced, 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. All of this means your plants will thrive with less effort and watering.
Compost, produced at the landfill site, is a rich organic matter important for healthy soil. City residents’ leaf and yard waste is collected at the curbside and then composted at the landfill site. Eighteen months later, the most wonderful compost is ready to use. A chemical analysis is conducted to ensure it is safe for public use. Users will be required to sign a waiver as mandated by the Ministry of the Environment. When worked into your garden earth the compost will help produce prolific plants and at the same time improve the structure of your soil. It is also an excellent natural fertilizer for your lawn.

“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.”

The CDHS, also known as Friends of the Garden, uses the monies raised on this day to not only fund its monthly meetings and special events, but also to give back to the community. Past and present 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, planting at Habitat for Humanity homes, Cornwall Hospice and monetary donations to the Living Wall at the Cornwall Public Library and The Children’s Treatment Centre.

“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.

Please join Friends on Saturday, May 10th, rain or shine, from 9 am to 1 pm for Bark and Compost Day. The City’s Landfill Site is located at 2590 Cornwall Centre Road West. Please note that a portion of Cornwall Centre Road is closed to traffic. Residents can access the Landfill from Vincent Massey Drive or Power Dam Drive.