Annually, Mittan Botanical Gardens recycles over 100 tons
of organic materials from outside sources that would otherwise
go to local landfills.
The gardens were built primarily with recycled materials.
Over 200 truckloads of up to 40 large bags of leaves per
truckload are collected annually from around Leon County in
a special truck and hauled to the gardens for use as mulch.
All of the soil, which was originally just pipe clay, has been
created by continued use of these leaves. Leaf bags are recycled
for use when selling plants when salvageable.
Dozens of large commercial dump truckloads of wood chips
from local tree services are used to construct the walkways
through the gardens.
All organic material produced in the gardens from weeding,
removal of dead flowers, and pruning is piled in large mounds
to break down into compost.
Trees which have to be removed due to damage from storms
or disease are also recycled. All of the trunks and large
branches of hardwood trees are cut into logs, split and given
away as free firewood. Smaller limbs are chipped to use as
material for walkways throughout the gardens. Stumps are
usually removed using a shovel and axe and burned in piles
with the ash tilled into the soil. Stumps which would
impact other trees if removed are allowed to decay after application
of stump rotter.
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