The city will collect large brush in our area starting April 2. Have brush out by 6:30 a.m., and observe the following guidelines:

• Stack unbound brush along the curb. The pile should be in one row no more than 4 feet high or 15 feet long.
• Place the cut ends toward the curb.
• If trunks are 3 to 8 inches in diameter, cut to lengths no longer than 6 feet. If trunks are more than 8 inches in diameter, cut to lengths of 3 feet or less.
• Keep brush at least 5 feet away from your garbage cart or other obstacles, and do not place under low-hanging branches or wires. Do not let it extend into the street.
• Do not block your mailbox or water meter, and do not lean brush against a fence or telephone connection box.
• Crews will not pick up bamboo, vines or thorny brush.

In my experience, crews will pick up thorny brush if they don’t have to touch the thorns. Cut rose canes or other thorny brush into much smaller pieces and set them out in a plastic bin or Kraft-paper yard waste bag. Crews pick up those kinds of yard timmings on regular trash collection days, and yard trimmings and large brush are composted and turned into Dillo Dirt.

For more information, see the website for the Austin Resource Recovery department (formerly Solid Waste Services).