Las Cruces Yard Guide

Las Cruces Grappler Schedule & Yard Waste Guide (2026)

When does the grappler come to your street, what will it pick up, and why did it skip your pile? Here’s how the City of Las Cruces grappler works, the pile rules that trip people up, and where to take yard waste when you can’t wait a month.

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Updated September 2026 using City of Las Cruces and South Central Solid Waste Authority information. Rules can change, so confirm your date with the City.

Before and after yard cleanup: cluttered backyard emptied of junk, leaving a clean driveway and lawn

Free monthly pickup for City residents
Up to 4 cubic yards
Branches under 5 ft × 5 in
Piles 5 ft from everything

Quick answer

How does the Las Cruces grappler work?

The City of Las Cruces runs grappler pickup once a month on your regular trash day, free for City trash customers. The residential grappler takes bulky trash like furniture, mattresses and appliances, and the green grappler takes yard waste like branches, brush and leaves.

Each pickup takes up to 4 cubic yards, about two level half-ton pickup loads. Put the pile at the curb, at least 5 feet from cars, trees, mailboxes and trash carts. Branches must be under 5 feet long and 5 inches thick.

Find your date Too much to wait?

Grappler at a glance

Rule	Limit
How often	Once a month
Which day	Your regular trash day
Cost	Free for City residents
Max size	4 cubic yards
Branches	Under 5 ft long, 5 in wide
Leaves and grass	Clear plastic bags
Spacing	5 ft from everything

Two services

What is the difference between the residential and green grappler?

The residential grappler picks up bulky household items such as furniture, mattresses and appliances, while the green grappler picks up yard waste such as tree limbs, brush, leaves and clippings. Put the wrong pile out on the wrong week and the truck drives past.

	Residential grappler	Green grappler
What it’s for	Bulky household trash	Yard waste
Takes	Extra trash, furniture, mattresses, appliances	Branches, leaves, grass clippings, weeds
How to set it out	Neat pile at the curb	Branches stacked neatly; leaves and grass in clear bags
Size limit	4 cubic yards	4 cubic yards; branches under 5 ft × 5 in
Schedule	Monthly, on the grappler calendar	Monthly, on the grappler calendar

Source: City of Las Cruces, Grappler Services. Pickups larger than 4 cubic yards can be scheduled for an extra fee through Customer Central.

Pile rules

How do you set out a grappler pile so it gets picked up?

Set the pile at the curb, not in the alley or yard, at least 5 feet from cars, trees, mailboxes, carts and other piles. Keep it to 4 cubic yards or less, and cut branches to under 5 feet long and 5 inches thick so the claw can lift them.

Curbside only. Not in the alley, the yard or behind a wall.
5 feet of clearance from cars, trees, mailboxes, trash carts and other piles, so the claw can reach it.
4 cubic yards max. That’s about four 5 × 3 × 2 ft piles side by side.
Cut branches to under 5 feet long and 5 inches in diameter, and stack them in one direction.
Bag loose material like leaves and grass clippings in clear plastic bags.
Keep trash and yard waste apart. Mixed piles can be skipped.
Don’t block the sidewalk, the street or your neighbor’s driveway.

What the grappler won’t take

Concrete, rock, dirt and sod
Roofing, insulation and flooring
Glass, mirrors and toilets
Cast iron fixtures and ceramic appliances
Paint and hazardous waste
Fluorescent bulbs
Vehicle parts and tires

Remodeling and construction debris need a dumpster, a hauler or a trip to the transfer station.

Your pickup day

How do I find my grappler pickup date?

Your grappler date is tied to your trash route, so neighbors a few streets away can be on a different week. Look up your address on the City of Las Cruces solid waste schedule or call the City, then set a monthly reminder for that trash day.

Check your trash day

Your grappler comes on your regular trash pickup day, once a month.

Look up your route

Use the Grappler Schedule lookup on the City of Las Cruces or SCSWA website to find your route number.

Match the calendar

Find your route on the yearly grappler calendar to see which week is yours.

No internet?

Call Las Cruces Utilities customer service at 575-541-2111 for your date.

Set it out early

Put the pile out the night before so it’s there when the truck comes.

Other options

What can I do with yard waste if I can’t wait for the grappler?

Take green waste to the SCSWA Transfer Station on West Amador Avenue for a fee, call City Customer Central to schedule an extra grappler pickup for piles over 4 cubic yards, or hire a cleanup crew to haul everything, including dirt, rock and sod, in one visit.

Transfer station drop-off

Take green waste to the SCSWA Transfer Station, 2865 W. Amador Ave. Open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Disposal fees apply.

Takes limbs, leaves, dead trees and palms. No dirt, sod, root balls, trash or bagged waste (empty the bags).

Extra grappler pickup

Over 4 cubic yards? Call City Customer Central to schedule an additional pickup. Extra fees apply under the City’s solid waste rates.

Only for City of Las Cruces trash customers. County residents use County Recycling & Waste Services.

Hire a yard cleanup crew

We cut, load and haul everything the same day, including rock, sod, dirt and debris the grappler won’t take. Most yard cleanups run $150 to $600, and big overgrown yards more.

See yard cleanup

Grappler vs. drop-off vs. cleanup crew

	Green grappler	Transfer station	Cleanup crew
Cost	Free (City customers)	Disposal fee + your truck	$150 to $600+ typical
Wait	Up to a month	Same day	Usually within the week
Your labor	Cut, bag and stack	Cut, load, haul, unload	None
Takes dirt, sod, rock?	No	No	Yes
Best for	Routine trimmings	A few truckloads	Big or overgrown yards

Bonus

Can Las Cruces residents get free mulch?

Yes. Yard waste collected by the grappler and at the transfer station is composted, and the finished mulch is free to City residents. It is useful for tree wells, dust control and holding moisture, and the long composting process kills most weed seeds.

Call Las Cruces Solid Waste at 575-528-3700 to check pickup times and whether mulch is available. Bring a shovel and something to haul it in.

Tip: keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and house walls, and use rock rather than mulch near the foundation.

Yard cleanup Las Cruces NM - overgrown side yard with weeds and debris before a cleanup

An overgrown side yard like this is usually more than one grappler pile.

Seasonal checklist

How should you handle yard waste each season in Las Cruces?

Winter brings pruned trees and roses for the green grappler, cut to 5 feet. Spring brings weeds and goatheads, which should be bagged. June brings mesquite thinning before the monsoon, monsoon season brings storm-broken limbs, and fall brings leaves and ornamental grass cutbacks.

Season	Typical yard waste	Best way to get rid of it
Winter (Jan–Mar)	Pruned shade trees, roses, frost-killed plants	Green grappler; cut to 5 ft
Spring (Apr–May)	Weeds, goatheads, spring cleanup	Bag goatheads (seeds spread); green grappler
Early summer (Jun)	Mesquite and palo verde thinning before monsoon	Green grappler, or drop-off for big loads
Monsoon (Jul–Sep)	Storm-broken limbs, debris from runoff	Transfer station or cleanup crew if urgent
Fall (Oct–Dec)	Leaves, spent annuals, ornamental grass cutbacks	Clear bags on the green grappler

Goatheads (puncturevine) spread by seed. Bag them instead of leaving them loose in a pile, so the seeds don’t scatter.

Las Cruces grappler FAQs

Grappler pickup is once a month on your regular trash day. Look up your route on the City of Las Cruces or SCSWA grappler schedule, or call 575-541-2111.

Yes, standard grappler pickup is included for City of Las Cruces residential trash customers. Loads over 4 cubic yards can be scheduled as an additional pickup for an extra fee.

The green grappler picks up yard waste only: tree branches, leaves, grass clippings and weeds. Branches must be under 5 feet long and 5 inches in diameter, and leaves and clippings go in clear plastic bags.

Up to 4 cubic yards, about two level half-ton pickup loads, or four piles of 5 × 3 × 2 feet side by side.

Common reasons are a pile that’s too big, too close to a car, tree, mailbox or trash cart, mixed with materials it doesn’t take, like concrete, dirt or sod, or set out on the wrong week.

No. The grappler doesn’t take concrete, dirt, rock or sod, and the transfer station doesn’t take dirt, sod or soil-covered root balls in green waste. A landscaping crew can haul these.

The SCSWA Transfer Station at 2865 W. Amador Ave. accepts limbs, leaves, dead trees and palms, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Disposal fees apply.

No. City grappler service is for City of Las Cruces trash customers. County residents should contact Doña Ana County Recycling & Waste Services.

Too much yard waste to wait a month?

We trim, clean up, load and haul it all away the same day, including the dirt, rock and sod the grappler won’t take. Free, written estimate.

Call (575) 270-0676 Text Us

We call back the same business day
Free, written, itemized estimates
One-time jobs welcome; no contract
Serving Las Cruces, Mesilla and Doña Ana County

Las Cruces Landscaping Group
1921 Santa Ines Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88011
(575) 270-0676. Mon to Sat, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Las Cruces Grappler Schedule & Yard Waste Guide (2026)