As gardening season comes into full bloom, Somerset residents are being reminded that they can sign-up for a fortnightly home garden waste collection.

The service run by Somerset Council has more than 60,000 subscribers and provides convenience for many green-fingered residents, saving time from traveling to a recycling site.

Subscriptions can be started any time during the year and the quickest and easiest way to subscribe is online via: www.somerset.gov.uk/garden-waste-collections

Collections are made fortnightly year-round, apart from a short break during Christmas and New Year. Residents can either sign-up to a pre-paid 180-litre wheeled bin or 90-litre compostable paper sacks. The price of a wheeled bin subscription for 2024//25 is £68 for 25 collections and packs of ten garden waste sacks cost, £33.60.

All garden waste stays in Somerset, going to one of several composting sites, including Dimmer and Walpole, where it is shredded, and turned into compost. The end-product is sold as revive soil conditioner through all recycling sites.

There is no need to wait until you receive a reminder, subscriptions can be renewed at any time (you’ll still get a full year service). The simplest way to renew or start a subscription is online. However residents can also renew and subscribe by calling 0300 123 2224.

Residents who already subscribe to the service will be sent an email reminder at least a month before their subscription ends. For example, a May mailing for those expiring in June. Residents are also able to check when their subscription is due online.

Garden waste can also be taken to any one of Somerset’s 16 waste recycling sites.

Garden waste should not be put out for collection with rubbish. It is also not advised to burn garden waste, as this can cause pollution and local nuisance