Guide
Skip hire for garden waste
From a weekend tidy-up to clearing an overgrown plot, a skip takes the lot. The one thing to get right is the size, because green waste and soil behave very differently.
The short answer
For most garden clear-outs a 2 to 6 yard skip is enough. Green waste is light, so you get plenty of volume for your money. Soil and turf are the opposite: they are heavy, so they fill a skip by weight long before it looks full, and a smaller skip is usually the better value for them.
A skip is the simplest way to clear a garden in one go, whether it is a season of prunings, an overgrown plot being taken back, or the spoil from relaying a patio. The catch is that garden waste is not one thing. Light green waste and heavy soil sit at opposite ends, and the skip that suits one is the wrong choice for the other.
Get the size right and a skip is the cheapest way to shift the lot, with no trips to the tip and no weight worries. Get it wrong and you either pay for space you cannot use or fill a skip that is too heavy to collect. This guide covers how to choose, what can and cannot go in, and when a skip is not actually the answer.
What fits
What garden waste goes in a skip
- Green waste. Grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, leaves, plants and weeds.
- Branches and wood. Prunings, small branches, old fence panels and decking.
- Turf and soil. Accepted, but heavy. Read the weight section before you size up.
- Old garden furniture. Timber and plastic furniture, planters and pots.
- Rubble from landscaping. Broken paving, hardcore and small amounts of concrete.
The weight trap
Green waste is light, soil and turf are heavy
This is the single thing that catches people out. Grass, leaves, hedge trimmings and prunings are bulky but light, so you fill the volume of a skip long before you reach its weight limit. That is good news: you can size up for a big clearance and still not worry about weight.
Soil and turf are the reverse. Both are dense, and turf carries a layer of soil with it, so a skip of either hits its weight limit while it still looks half empty. Overfill it and it cannot be collected safely, which means a wasted trip and a rebooking. For a load that is mostly soil or turf, a smaller skip is not a compromise, it is the right tool, and it costs less.
If your clearance mixes both, keep the heavy material spread across the base rather than piled in one corner, and stop filling once the skip is level even if there is room above the sides.
Choosing a size
Which skip size for garden waste
Green waste is light, so size up for volume. Soil and turf are heavy, so size down.
A small tidy-up, or any load that is mostly heavy soil and turf.
A medium garden clearance with a mix of green waste and some soil.
A big clearance or an overgrown garden, where the waste is bulky but light.
Compare all five in the skip sizes hub, or see prices for your area on the skip prices page.
Cannot go in
The two things that cannot go in a garden skip
Most garden waste is straightforward, but two things are not, and both carry legal weight rather than just being a nuisance.
Japanese knotweed
This is classed as controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act. It cannot go in a normal skip, and spreading it, even by accident, is an offence. It has to be removed by a licensed carrier and taken to a permitted site. If you think you have it, tell us before you book and we will arrange the right disposal.
Contaminated soil
Soil that may hold asbestos, fuel, oil or chemical residue is hazardous waste and cannot go in a general skip. It needs testing and a licensed route. Ordinary garden soil is completely fine, this only applies where the ground may be contaminated.
Alternatives
When a skip is not the answer
For a small, regular amount of green waste, a council garden waste collection or a compost heap is cheaper and greener than a skip, and grass and soft prunings break down well. A skip earns its place on the bigger jobs: an overgrown clearance, a landscaping project, or anything that produces soil, turf and woody waste faster than a green bin can take it. If you are not sure which you have, tell us the job and we will be straight about whether a skip is worth it.
Practical
Getting the most into the skip
- Break down branches and cut back long stems so they lie flat instead of holding the load up.
- Load flat and even rather than tipping everything into one end.
- Keep soil and turf spread across the base, not piled high.
- Do not fill above the top edge. An overfilled skip cannot be collected legally and has to be re-levelled before it moves.
Common questions
Garden waste skip FAQs
What size skip do I need for garden waste?
For a small tidy-up, a 2 yard mini skip. For a medium clearance, a 4 yard midi skip. For a large or overgrown garden, a 6 yard builders skip. If the load is mostly soil or turf, drop a size, because heavy waste fills a skip by weight. Compare sizes on our skip sizes hub.
Can you put soil in a skip?
Yes, but soil is one of the heaviest things you can put in a skip, so it reaches the weight limit long before the skip looks full. For a large amount of soil or turf, a smaller skip is usually the better value, or ask us about a heavy-waste option when you book. Contaminated soil is a different matter and cannot go in a general skip.
Can you put turf and grass in a skip?
Yes. Grass cuttings and light green waste are ideal for a skip because they are light and give you good volume. Turf is heavier because of the soil attached to it, so treat it like soil when you are choosing a size.
Can I put Japanese knotweed in a skip?
No. Japanese knotweed is controlled waste and cannot go in a normal skip. It has to be handled by a licensed carrier and taken to a permitted site, because spreading it is an offence. Tell us before you book and we will arrange the correct disposal.
Can you put branches and tree waste in a skip?
Yes. Prunings, hedge trimmings, small branches and old timber all go in a standard skip. Very large tree trunks are best broken down first so they do not take up the whole skip.
Do I need a permit for a garden waste skip?
Only if the skip goes on a public road or pavement. On your own driveway or private land no permit is needed. Where one is required we apply to your council and factor the lead time into your delivery date. See our skip permit guide.
How long can I keep a garden waste skip?
Standard hire is 14 days, which covers most garden projects. If you need longer we can extend the hire or collect and redeliver. Let us know your timescale when you book.
How much does a garden waste skip cost?
It depends on the size and your postcode. Green waste is light so you rarely hit a weight limit, which keeps it straightforward. See prices for your area on our skip prices page, or get a quote.
Get in touch
Get a quote
Tell us your postcode, the size you need and your preferred date. We confirm your price before you book.
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0333 880 0095
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