Name: Compost Giveaway
Start: 2025-11-15T08:00:00-08:00
End: 2025-11-15T12:00:00-08:00
Location: Los Peñasquitos Ranch House

Come grab some free compost for your garden at our Compost Giveaway event!
About this Event

Join us for our upcoming Compost Giveaway Event!

Have you ever wondered what happens after you toss yard trimmings and food scraps into your green bin? The organic waste is collected and brought to the Miramar Greenery (located at the Miramar Landfill)where it is turned into compost! This compost is available at no cost to residents of the City of San Diego and can be picked up during normal business hours. To increase opportunities for residents to pick up compost, I Love A Clean San Diego and the City of San Diego are partnering to host Compost Giveaways on select weekends.

Get your hands on some nutrient-rich compost for your garden at no cost. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone looking to give their plants a boost. Swing by and grab some compost to help your garden thrive!

Things to bring:

Shovel
Gloves
Containers
Tarp and bungees for truck beds (ALL TRUCK BEDS MUST BE COVERED!)

Things to know:

Be prepared to self load compost
All participants are REQUIRED to sign a release waiver
Must enter Canyonside Park from Black Mountain Road. Continue down Canyonside Park Driveway until you reach the Ranch House.

Please be aware, in order to collect compost you are REQUIRED to sign a waiver. All participants will need to sign a waiver upon entering the event.

About the Miramar Greenery: At the Miramar Greenery, compost is made from yard trimmings and food scraps that have been ground, placed in windrows, turned and watered for 70 days. During this time, microorganisms digest the carbon and nitrogen rich mixture, causing the windrow to sustain temperatures of 140-165 F. This process eliminates most W**d seeds and pathogens while breaking down the organic material into beneficial soil nutrients. Finished compost is screened to a particle size of one-half inch or less which also removes film plastic from the final product. For more information, visit https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar

Practical Application and Benefits: Compost can be used as an amendment to improve soil texture and increase nutrient and water holding capacity. In San Diego, where soil lacks many essential plant nutrients, mixing compost in with the soil is one of the best things you can do for your yard and garden.

"The County of San Diego's Rancho Los Penasquitos - In 1823, Francisco Maria Ruiz built a modest adobe that established Rancho Los Penasquitos as San Diego County's first Mexican land grant, remnants of which still stand within the present-day ranch house. Today, the surrounding park offers more than 10 miles of multi-use trails, a staging area, restrooms, and hosts weddings, reunions, and community events. The site also features the Los Peñasquitos Community Garden, founded in 2012, which provides 20 plots for local residents to grow their own produce through seasonal leases. The historic adobe serves as a cultural landmark and museum, offering visitors guided tours, educational programs, and a glimpse into the region’s early ranching and adobe life. For more information, visit https://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/park-pages/RanchoLosPenasquitos.html"

Note: This event will occur rain or shine, however if severe weather occurs the days leading up to the event, the event will be rescheduled or canceled. If needed, registrants will receive electronic communication as soon as possible before the event.

This event is made possible by the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department and The County of San Diego, and is facilitated by I Love A Clean San Diego.