Flower Mound's new trash contract added curbside yard waste recycling. That recycling runs for two weeks at a time, twice a year. The first window opens Monday, Nov. 30, the Monday after Thanksgiving. For those two weeks, Republic Services will take leaves, brush and grass clippings off for compost and mulch. It will also stop collecting the couch, the old dishwasher and the extra bags of trash.
So this fall, timing matters more than it used to. Leaves set out before Nov. 30 go to the landfill, and bulk items set out from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11 stay at the curb until Dec. 14.
The Curb Recycles Yard Waste Two Weeks at a Time
The Town's contract with Republic Services took effect Oct. 1, 2026. Town Council approved the amendment behind it at its May 4 meeting. That amendment added residential green waste service, revised rates and updated the observed holidays. The green waste piece is the one that changes what happens at the curb.
The Town's announcement of the program explains how yard waste is handled outside the windows:
"Yard waste will still be collected year round as bulk trash and sent to the landfill. The Seasonal Green Waste Recycling program simply diverts green waste from the landfill to be recycled twice a year during times when green waste is more abundant."
Brush you cut in July still gets picked up. It goes to the landfill with the rest of the bulk. Only what's at the curb during a designated window gets processed into compost and mulch, as the Flower Mound Times reported when the program was announced. The Town says the windows fall "typically once in the spring and once in the fall," when there's the most yard waste.
The Window Opens the Monday After Thanksgiving
Here's how late November and early December line up this year:
| Dates | Yard waste at the curb | Bulk items at the curb |
|---|---|---|
| Now through Fri., Nov. 27 | Collected as bulk, sent to landfill | Collected as usual |
| Mon., Nov. 30 to Fri., Dec. 11 | Collected for recycling on regular trash and recycling days | Not collected |
| Mon., Dec. 14 onward | Collected as bulk, sent to landfill | Collection resumes |
Any packaging from holiday deliveries, or furniture replaced before guests arrive, that goes out after Thanksgiving weekend lands in the one stretch with no bulk service. Bulk pickup comes back Monday, Dec. 14, after the window closes.
The same calendar helps with leaves. Leaves raked and bagged in the first week of December can go to compost. The same bags set out the week before Thanksgiving go to the landfill as bulk. Mayor Cheryl Moore described the program in her October column in the Cross Timbers Gazette as a way to "give your yard waste a second life."
What the Truck Will Take, and How It Has to Look
The setup rules are short and specific. Republic will collect brush, leaves, grass clippings, weeds and similar yard debris as long as it's set out this way:
- Put it at the curb on your regular trash and recycling day during Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
- Use paper lawn bags or a personal, reusable trash container labeled "Green Waste."
- Cut tree limbs to four feet or shorter.
- Tie limbs into bundles under 50 pounds.
The container doesn't have to come from Republic Services, according to the Flower Mound Times. A sturdy bin from the garage works with a "Green Waste" label on it. Paper lawn bags are the other accepted option, so it's worth picking some up before Thanksgiving week if your garage is stocked with plastic contractor bags.
The Town has published the program details at flowermound.gov/greenwaste. Questions go to [email protected] or 972.539.7378.
Where the Couch Goes Instead
The trade-off of the window is on the bulk side. Bulk means anything that doesn't fit in your regular trash cart. The mayor's column lists "furniture, appliances, or extra trash bags." Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 11, the Town offers three options:
- Hold it. Keep the items in the garage or side yard until bulk pickup resumes Monday, Dec. 14.
- Haul it to Camelot Landfill. Take up to 10 cubic yards to the Camelot Landfill at 580 Huffines Blvd. and dump it free with proof of Flower Mound residency.
- Book a special pickup. Call 972.539.SERV(7378) to request a pickup for a fee.
Ten free cubic yards at Camelot is a lot of capacity for a household that owns or can borrow a truck. That's well beyond a single sofa or a stack of flattened appliance boxes. For everyone else, holding items for a week or two is the simplest route. That's easier if a new mattress or sectional arrives early in the window than if it lands on Dec. 11.
For a household expecting a big delivery around the holidays, the calendar is worth checking before scheduling it. A delivery crew that hauls away the old piece takes care of the problem. If the old piece is left behind on Dec. 1, it sits for two weeks.
Recycling Yard Waste the Other Fifty Weeks
The curbside window isn't the only way to keep yard waste out of the landfill. The Town's residential waste removal options guide lists Living Earth at 3901 Haynes Road as a free drop-off point for residents. You can bring up to five cubic yards of green waste per trip and up to 10 cubic yards per month.
The Living Earth rules mirror the curbside ones, with a few differences:
- Clean brush, tree trimmings, leaves and grass are accepted.
- Bring material in compostable or Kraft paper bags or a reusable container.
- Waste brought in plastic bags must be debagged.
- Proof of residency is required.
The Flower Mound Times reports drop-off hours of Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. That's a weekday trip, so it suits a landscape crew or a flexible work schedule better than a Saturday cleanup. Still, it's the year-round answer to the summer storm limbs and spring trimmings that would otherwise go to the landfill as bulk.
Next year's windows won't necessarily fall on the same dates. The Town said the recycling periods will shift each year based on foliage timing, seasonal yard work and weather events. This first one sits right after Thanksgiving. A later one could land near a spring cleanup or after a storm.
A December Checklist for the Curb
Putting it together, a Flower Mound household gets the most out of this first window by planning both piles at once:
- Hold off on the final big leaf cleanup until the week of Nov. 30, if the yard can wait.
- Pick up paper lawn bags or label a reusable bin "Green Waste" ahead of time.
- Cut limbs to four feet and bundle them under 50 pounds.
- Set bulk items out by trash day the week of Nov. 23, or plan to hold them until Dec. 14.
- Keep proof of residency in the truck if Camelot Landfill or Living Earth is in the plan.
Collection from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11 runs on your regular trash and recycling days, so your weekly routine stays the same. What changes is which pile the truck takes.
Planning a winter listing or a spring move means planning the cleanup and haul-away, too. If December is when the garage gets emptied and the yard gets photo-ready, Betsy Daniel can help you sequence the vendors and pickups around Flower Mound's collection calendar. Schedule a Consultation to map out the timeline.
