Quick answer
For regular grass and hedge cuttings the council garden waste bin is usually the cheapest route. For an overgrown garden, a one-off big load, or soil, turf and fencing the bin will not take, a private garden clearance in Watford is more practical.
£62.40 a year
Garden waste bin
First green bin; extra bins £80 each
Fortnightly
Collections
One collection may be cancelled over Christmas
1 Sept to 31 Aug
Subscription year
No part-year discounts or refunds
What the Watford Council garden waste service costsSection titled What%20the%20Watford%20Council%20garden%20waste%20service%20costs
Watford Council's garden waste collection is an optional, paid subscription rather than part of your standard bin service. The council's garden waste page lists £62.40 a year for the first bin and £80 a year for each extra bin, up to seven bins per address. Residents receiving council-related benefits such as Universal Credit or Housing Benefit pay £40 a year per bin.
Collections are fortnightly and the subscription year runs from 1 September to 31 August. New sign-ups currently get collections until 31 August 2027, with no part-year discounts and no refunds if you stop using the service. To sign up, register or log in to a My Watford account, subscribe online and stick the sticker you are sent (within two weeks) on the back of your green bin. The terms of the service say one fortnightly collection may be cancelled over the Christmas period. Council prices and rules change, so recheck the official page before you subscribe.
Watford Council garden waste prices
Optional fortnightly green bin collection, paid for each subscription year (1 September to 31 August).
First bin
Standard rate, per subscription year
£62.40
Each extra bin
Up to seven bins in total
£80
Council prices and rules change. Recheck the official Watford Council page before you subscribe.
What can and cannot go in the garden waste binSection titled What%20can%20and%20cannot%20go%20in%20the%20garden%20waste%20bin
Only loose garden waste is accepted. Based on the council's service terms:
Accepted
- Grass cuttings
- Flowers and plants
- Bark and twigs
- Small tree branches
- Loose leaves
- Shrub and hedge trimmings
Not accepted
- Large branches and tree stumps
- Stones, gravel, rocks and rubble
- Japanese knotweed
- Animal faeces and cat litter
- Textiles and nappies
- Plastic bags and cardboard
A bin containing any of these is treated as contaminated and will not be emptied. Put it out by 6am on collection day.
Taking garden waste to the tipSection titled Taking%20garden%20waste%20to%20the%20tip
The council's recycling centres page names two Hertfordshire County Council sites near Watford: Waterdale on St Albans Road (WD25 0PR) and Rickmansworth on Riverside Drive. The county's Waterdale page lists garden waste and soil as accepted. It is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
You need an ePass to use Hertfordshire's recycling centres, and one is also required if you arrive with a van or trailer. The county's recycling centre page says business waste is not accepted. Those pages do not state charges for garden waste or soil, so check them before you travel.
Council bin vs private garden clearance at a glanceSection titled Council%20bin%20vs%20private%20garden%20clearance%20at%20a%20glance
Side by side
Watford Council garden waste bin
Best for: Regular grass cuttings, leaves and light pruning through the year.
- Cost
- £62.40 a year for the first bin
- Timing
- Fortnightly
- Loose grass, leaves, hedge trimmings and small branches
- Nothing on top of or beside the bin is collected
- You cut, bag and wheel it out yourself
Private garden clearance with Watford Clearance
Best for: Overgrown gardens, big prunings, one-off clear-outs and mixed garden rubbish.
- Cost
- Priced by load and access
- Timing
- Usually the same week
- We cut back, clear and load - nothing to bag or wheel out
- Soil, turf, old sheds, fencing and garden furniture in one visit
- Green waste goes for composting through licensed routes
When the council bin is enoughSection titled When%20the%20council%20bin%20is%20enough
The council bin works well when your garden waste is light, regular and fits inside the bin:
- Weekly or fortnightly grass cuttings through spring and summer
- Hedge trimmings and leaves in small, manageable amounts
- Light pruning with branches that count as small
- A household happy to cut, load and put the bin out by 6am
- Subscribing for the full year, since there are no part-year discounts
When a private clearance is the better optionSection titled When%20a%20private%20clearance%20is%20the%20better%20option
A private clearance is more practical when the job goes beyond what a fortnightly bin can handle:
- An overgrown or neglected garden with far more than one bin holds
- Large branches, tree stumps, stones or rubble, which the council bin refuses
- Soil, turf, fencing or an old shed to remove
- A house sale or tenancy deadline
- Nobody able to do the cutting, bagging and carrying
More than the bin can take?
We clear overgrown gardens, green waste, soil and garden rubbish across Watford, usually the same week.
Which option fits your gardenSection titled Which%20option%20fits%20your%20garden
Match your situation
Regular grass and hedge cuttings
Watford Council binA paid fortnightly collection of loose cuttings, leaves and hedge trimmings from your own green bin.
A one-off load and a car
Recycling centreWaterdale in Garston lists garden waste as accepted, but you need an ePass first.
Soil, turf, rubble or fencing
Private clearanceThe council bin refuses stones, rubble, large branches and tree stumps.
An overgrown garden or a deadline
Private clearanceOne visit covers cutting back, clearing and disposal.
Common questionsSection titled Common%20questions
Is garden waste collection free in Watford?Section titled Is%20garden%20waste%20collection%20free%20in%20Watford%3F
No. Watford Council's garden waste collection is a paid subscription, currently £62.40 a year for the first bin, according to the council's page. Home composting is the free alternative, and the recycling centres are another route. Prices change, so recheck the official page before you subscribe.
What if my garden waste will not fit in the bin?Section titled What%20if%20my%20garden%20waste%20will%20not%20fit%20in%20the%20bin%3F
The council's terms say garden waste placed on top of or beside the bin will not be collected. You can subscribe for an extra bin at £80 a year (up to seven in total), take the surplus to a Hertfordshire recycling centre with an ePass, or book a private garden clearance if there is a lot of it.
Can the council take a one-off load of garden waste?Section titled Can%20the%20council%20take%20a%20one-off%20load%20of%20garden%20waste%3F
We could not find a one-off garden waste collection on the council's extra rubbish page, which points to the garden waste subscription, home composting or a local recycling centre. For a single large load, the tip (with an ePass) or a private clearance is the practical route. Council rules change, so confirm with the council before booking.
Related servicesSection titled Related%20services
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