How to Get Free Mulch in Michigan
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Free mulch? Delivered? Yes, Please!
Got garden beds to fill? Need mulch or firewood but don’t want to break the bank?
I’ve been using a free mulch service for the past few years in Michigan that you might want to know about. It’s called ChipDrop, and their whole thing is that they connect people with tree companies that are looking to unload wood chips leftover from their jobsites.
It’s a free (or almost free) way to get a ton of wood chip mulch delivered right to your driveway.
The Idea Behind ChipDrop
When arborists trim or remove trees, they end up with truckloads of chips and logs. Normally, they end up dumping all of this at a landfill (which costs them money). Naturally, they’d rather drop it off for free at a nearby home.
ChipDrop is basically the match-maker in this scenario (kinda like a Tinder, but for mulch-wanting yard-owners that want to be paired with tree crews.)
Here’s the Catch
If you’re getting something for free, you give up something – and what you give up in this case is control. There are several ways that this plays out with ChipDrop. Here are the potential deal-breakers:
(1) You Might Not Get Any Mulch
If there are no tree services using ChipDrop in your area, you won’t get any mulch. If there are a ton of people wanting mulch in your area, you might not get any. If you live really far away from a population center, your chances go down.
TIP: There’s a spot on their website where you can see if ChipDrop is active in your area, and if it is, how long your neighbors waited to get their ChipDrops. That’s a helpful feature.
(2) If You Are Chosen to Get Free Mulch, You Won’t Know When It’s Coming
Most of the time, I get an email an hour or two before a truck shows up at my house with a ChipDrop delivery. (I typically don’t know they’re coming or that I’m getting woodchips until I see the truck unloading in my driveway.)
If you need mulch by a particular date, ChipDrop is probably not going to be your supplier.
That said, spring seems to be a hot time for deliveries. Twice I got a delivery within a week. But heads up that it’s totally random. Some people wait months or even a year.
(3) You Can’t Choose the Type
You also don’t get to choose the company delivering the wood chips or the species of tree(s) mixed in your mulch delivery. Honestly, it’s kind of a mystery drop and you have to be okay with that.
The loads I’ve gotten are typically a mixed bag – usually about 75% wood chips and 25% leafy bits, pine needles, and twigs. It’s definitely not polished commercial stuff, but if you’re using it for weed control or garden paths, it works like a charm.
What you are able to select:
- if you want logs mixed in with your wood chips
- if there are any types of tree that you absolutely cannot accept
You can also request logs if you’re looking for firewood. Just know they’re big. Like, probably-need-to-split-them-yourself big. But if you’ve got a splitter or an axe and a good back, it’s a pretty cheap way to stockpile some fuel.
(4) You Have to Take the Whole Load
Maybe one of the biggest stipulations, though, is that you have to be willing to take a whole truckload – up to 20 yards – sight unseen.
20 yards of mulch is a really big pile of mulch, and if that’s what’s in the truck, that’s what you’re getting. But you might also get a drop of 7 yards if that’s what the arborists have that day.
ChipDrops That I’ve Gotten Over the Years
My most recent load of mulch (just last week) was a mix of maple and cedar. There were a few small logs mixed in (I said okay to a few logs) and this batch had a LOT of small tree branches that were almost like vines. The shredder didn’t chop them up because they were very pliable, so I had to pick them out by hand. This drop was also pretty small compared to some of our others.
Last year, we had a big windstorm and a tree fell on one of the houses in my neighborhood. There was a lot of tree clean up in the area, and so it didn’t surprise me that we got a ChipDrop delivery a few days later. The interesting thing about that particular drop: there was some kind of mix-up with the service so we actually ended up getting two separate deliveries from two different companies off of my one request (that’s not supposed to happen.) We need a lot of mulch, though, so I didn’t mind.
The year before that, our ChipDrop was left in our street, not our requested drop location. I contacted ChipDrop because it was a really inconvenient place for the woodchips. They were responsive but we ultimately had to move the chips on our own.
All in all, I keep making ChipDrop requests because I live in an area where I need a lot of mulch and I can handle the unknowns. If you need mulch on a specific timeline, you want a polished look, or you can’t take a whole load, ChipDrop is probably not for you.
How to Make a Free Mulch Request from ChipDrop
You create a request on the ChipDrop website and show exactly where you want the mulch with notes and photos.
The photos are super important, as well as really clear language about where to put your woodchips AND where to NOT put your woodchips.
The more clear and convenient you make it, the more likely a crew will choose your place.
After you make you request, it’s time to wait. A tree crew will swing by if and when they’ve got a full truckload.
Here’s a video about how it works:
What if you want more than one load of mulch?
Can you order two loads with one request?
If you need a lot of mulch, this might be on your mind. The answer is no, Once you get a drop, your request becomes inactive.
BUT they do make it really easy to request another drop after your first load arrives.
If you want another load of mulch, just log back in and reactivate your request.
How to Up Your Chances of Getting a ChipDrop
While people do get ChipDrops everyday that are totally free, you can sweeten the pot a little bit by offering to pay a self-selected amount to the tree service.
Tree companies are more likely to pick your request if you offer a little cash as a thank-you. (Arborists pay $20 per load, so putting in $20 makes it even for them.)
Some people toss in $40 as an incentive. Think of it like tipping your delivery driver, but for 20 yards of mulch, it’s a steal.
That small fee helps cover the tree crew’s fuel and time, and it bumps your name up the list when they’re choosing where to drop their next load. It’s totally optional. The first ChipDrop I ever got was completely free. The last 2, I’ve offered $40 per load because I really wanted the mulch and I wanted to give the arborists a nudge.
Pro Tips
- Want to get picked faster? Offer $20–$40 when you place your request. It’s optional, but it helps motivate the arborists.
- Be specific about your drop site.
- Be ready for a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Maybe share with the neighbors if you get a drop.
Bottom Line
There are a few quirks, and you’ve gotta know what you’re signing up for, but if If you’re flexible and don’t need picture-perfect mulch, ChipDrop is a sweet deal, especially for big gardens or backyard projects. Just keep your phone handy and your driveway clear.
