Re: shredding
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: shredding
- From: B* <B*@aol.com>
- Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 09:01:49 EST
Couldn't live without my shredder. You need to buy the one that is size-
appropriate for what you have available for shredding. I am surrounded by
woods so have lots of brush and branches to shred--for this you want as heavy-
duty a model as you can afford. I assume you are going gas, rather than
electric. Mine has a tube for inserting the branches plus a large chute for
raking in leaves. The chute can easily be dropped down to just rake the
leaves into it. since my road has gravel, I have to be careful to avoid
racking stones in with the leaves--this will damage the blade and the stone
can also be ejected with deadly force.
Wear eye protection at all times.
Two things may surprise you:
1. These machines can be very heavy to roll around. It is often easier to
bring the branches to it than vice versa.
2. Do not indulge in dreams of elaborate paths covered with shredded wood all
over your estate. The shredder reduces rubble to an incredibly smaller volume
than you can imagine. However, you can surely get some short paths out of it.
I shred all my leaves and just pile them on top of the beds and leave them
during the winter. Vegetables I plant right through the shredded leaves.
After a few years you will have miracle soil.
Fall leaves can also be tilled into new beds to increase organic content.
Go for it. Read the instructions that come with it. Occasionally you may jam
the machine, especially with green wood; maples and elms are the ones I have
the most trouble with green. It is time-consuming to fix a jam, but not that
difficult.
Bill Lee
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