Fall Leaf Drop-Off Hours

We accept leaves, as well as, plant discards, tree branches, and unused potted soil.

October 26 – December 30, 2021

Same time as our public food waste drop-off hours.
When the garden is open:

Tuesdays 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Thursdays 3:30 – 6 pm

Saturdays 2 – 4 pm

For more information and other leaf drop-off sites, visit nyc.gov/drop-fall-leaves

Food Waste Drop-Off Notice, Updated

For our 24-hour drop-off to resume: 

  1. We need volunteers*.
    To volunteer, go to downtoearthgarden.org/volunteer (online signup form).
    * Goal: 14+ volunteers, 2 per day, each choosing a day/week, + backups.
  1. Sanitation (DSNY) to restart their Curbside Composting**.
    Resumption of DSNY’s pickup service depends on how many have signed up within the neighborhood. Please have your building consider signing up: nyc.gov/curbsidecomposting

** Curbside Composting (organic waste pickup) — Pre-pandemic, DSNY picked up about 40% of our food waste; we composted 60% in-garden.
So, in order for a 24-hour drop-off to not overwhelm us, we need both: volunteers and DSNY to resume their pickup.

For further information, visit downtoearthgarden.org/composting

Food Waste Drop-Off Notice

For our 24-hour drop-off to resume again: 

  1. We need at least 11 volunteers (our pre-pandemic number), but now, ideally 14* or more to fully cover 7 days a week (2 volunteers per day).

* One of our main volunteers was able to do 3 or 4 days a week pre-pandemic, including covering for others; and now, only 1 day, maybe 2 days, a week. So, need more volunteers.

To volunteer, see downtoearthgarden.org/volunteer

  1. Sanitation (DSNY) is expected to restart their organic waste pickup this fall. Pre-pandemic, DSNY picked up about 40% of our food waste, while we were able to process 60% in-garden. So, in order to make sure our 24-hour drop-off will not overwhelm us, we need both: enough volunteers and DSNY to resume their pickup. 

For further information, visit downtoearthgarden.org/composting

Help Clean Up Our Block, National Day of Service 1/18/21 Mon 1:30 pm

In honor of MLK,  the 12th Street Block Association along with Down to Earth Garden is participating in the National Day of Service by working together to make our block a better place to live by doing a street tree clean up, replacing tree guards for our new trees, and in preparation for spring planting. 

Please join us at Down to Earth Garden, corner of 12 St and Ave B,  Monday Jan 18 at 1:30 to honor MLK and help clean up our block.