How to dispose of garden waste - do you really need a garden shredder?

Compost, bonfire or take to the recycling centre? Disposing of garden waste and clippings takes time, effort (and usually money, too). How a garden shredder can help, plus tips on choosing a garden shredder.
We bought the Bosch AXT25 TC :amzn.to/3bvvzfr
And these large garden waste bags: amzn.to/3h5svYy
Note that links to Amazon are affiliate, which means I may get a small fee if you buy, but it won't affect the price you pay and I only recommend products I buy and use myself. We bought the Bosch garden shredder with our own money at the publicly stated price, and this video has not been sponsored in any way.
00:00 Do you have too much garden waste?
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[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

There are some useful comments here on using 'bin' incinerators and other extra tips, so do read them!

[@teresadaley9305]

I agree with every thing you have said but would like to add a further suggestion. Fresh soft vegetation almost instantly clogs my shredder so I just spread out the SOFT material and go over it with the lawn mower. There is a very worthwhile reduction in volume and also the shreddings decompose rapidly in the compost pile

[@howlis]

I would second this, if you have a rotary mower (preferably metal bodied) just mow over it, it's far faster, use you shedder for larger prunings then chop them up with your mower, makes beautiful compost.

[@cherylmontgomery6628]

Brillant, helpful, articulate & concise presentation - a consummate professional! Much appreciated 😊

[@j.m.7056]

This was timely for me. Your detailed review and thoughts helped me decide I do not need one! I will save the money for plants and soil amendments. It is always a pleasure to watch your videos. Thanks, Alexandra!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Glad I've saved you the bother!

[@jnschannel2551]

No fancy camera work? No effects? No emphasis on product? Is this even a useful video???? Yes it is!!! Awesome very well explained, on point about practicality. Have helped me made a decision to hold on buying a shredder.I will try the Regular quick short maintenance to avoid huge garden wastes.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, I'm glad it was helpful!

[@ChristopherDraws]

Your videos are always so well written and presented, I really appreciate the work you put into them. I'm one of those millenials who are struggling to get a place with a garden, so marooned in a flat, but storing up all this information that one day I hope to be able to use. With luck, I'll end up with a garden half as beautiful as yours is.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! And I hope you get your garden soon.

[@claireleung5716]

Thank you for this video Alexandra. I have been contemplating whether to buy a small incinerator or shredder this year and your video comes right on time🤗. And this helps me make up my mind.

[@michellebeissel3937]

We bought the same model about two years ago. I wish we had bought it much earlier as it does such a great job! The biggest challenge for us oldies was our lugging of the machine down the bumpy main garden path to where all the prunings are kept in the back of our long plot. After pushing it several times, my better half decided to pull it which resulted in a much easier and safer transit (pushing was more liable to it rocking back and forth and threathening to tumble over).

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Good idea. We've got steps so at the moment, we're keeping it in the house, which is a bit inconvenient.

[@gerdaho1]

Thanks for this, just at the right time. Very informative and complete and you confirmed our choice of chipper. I love watching and learning from you and your garden and guests!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@samuel2026]

Bought a shredder today on Facebook. Cost £10 and does the job nicely. Very happy with the product for the cost especially as private landscaper. This speeds up the waste time by almost double and I use the mulch it makes under the soil as it decomposes it make mine and my clients soil richer.

[@wellingtonsboots4074]

I took my parents shredder when they passed. I hardly ever used it at first, but now i use it all the time. Great for mulching and getting rid of garden waste fast. It has improved my garden. Thank you enjoyed this.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@piginentry]

What an excellent video. Really well written and presented. Some really good advice and pointers. Thank you so much.

[@colinmiles1052]

Very good presentation - thank you. I decided to go for a petrol shredder as my compost bins are at the end of my garden (150ft). I chose a Forest Master Compact 6HP Petrol Garden Shredder Mulcher Chipper FM6DD-MUL. I have been very pleased with it. It self feeds long prunings with ease. I find hedge clippings a bit of a trial as they get easily jammed. However, if you take your time (as explained in this video) its fine. The shreddings are cut very fine and start to decompose almost immediately. My bins are quite big (around 2m2) but hopefully this will yield a fair amount of compost for years to come!

[@chrisp4170]

Wow! Someone who has thought about what they want to say beforehand! Very useful and clear, thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@nowthenad3286]

THAT is a middle-sized garden? Bloomin' 'eck!

[@barbll000]

I bought a shredder as well. I haven't used it yet. Thanks for the advice about taking some time to get into a groove with it.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I find that all new equipment takes time - I really feel quite nervous of it at first. Hope it goes well.

[@threeriversforge1997]

Excellent walk-through. One thing I recommend is to put the shredded material right back into the beds and let it compost in place. Saves the hassle of having to move things around, and it's exactly as nature designed things to work. The fresh clippings are a wonderful, nutrient-rich resource for the plants as well as the soil biome. Plus, it's a timed-release fertilizer, the different bits breaking down at different times. A compost bin is great for the household waste you want to break down, and adding grass clippings and the odd bit of brown material sure doesn't hurt, but overall, I generally just "chop and drop" because that provides the best return on the investment.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Absolutely!

[@ritasicari7518]

Very thorough and informative info. Thank you.

[@mml0082]

You have a gift for answering questions I didn’t need know I needed ! New to gardening and so many factors to think about 🌳 🌱 💐

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bluesky7226]

Alexandra, that was excellent! Great review of all aspects. Here in my prairie garden things don't break down as quickly because it is so dry, so shredding and chopping is important. We do use some of the debris in our fire pit but we have been under a no open fire ban all summer so not so much. Unfortunately I have had to send some of my debris away.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! The fire thing is so difficult because if it's a wet summer, bonfires don't burn easily and if it's a dry summer, they're dangerous.

[@qualapec]

Thanks- been thinking of getting a shredder due to a lot of hedge cuttings. Good video 😀

[@moorpool2688]

Very useful. We have an old Alko shredder. You need to be patient feeding and dry is best to avoid clogging. You can also put the shreddings through again to get a finer shred.

[@arizonasunshine6818]

I so enjoy your gardening videos. Thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@samspencer7765]

Excellent review. So clear and thorough.

[@SuzanneLegault]

Very useful and honest advice. Merci.

[@littlecicek]

We love ours, it's so handy and good to add to the compost too. We loan it out to a few friends that love it!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I was wondering about suggesting that neighbours share a shredder, but decided that that might be difficult (terrain, relationships...) but it's a very good idea.

[@RasheedahNizam]

I really feel like you read my mind with this one. I've been considering this purchase. I look forward to the video.👍

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@susanbrookes8247]

Yes definately I wouldn't be without mine either. i get such a good feeling when i pour the finishied product around fruit trees, perennials and olive trees or in the compost bin. We really should be trying to recycle as much as we can in the garden....Thanks Alessandra as usual very informative

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@kenmines9954]

Absolutely I do! In a garden of nearly 1 acre I surrounded by high hedges I couldn't possibly do without my chipper shredder. It's an ex hire machine that uses flails which never need sharpening and in over 20 years it's never gone wrong and starts every time. A godsend.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It sounds great.

[@speedsterh]

Do you have a reference for that shredder ? Sounds very interesting !

[@jennyyoung6750]

Thank you so much. This is a very helpful video for me. I'd like to see a video on setting up different kinds of compost bins. I watched your video on an easy way to turn compost but I'd like to see an in-depth video on composting. I really love your channel & look forward to your new videos every week. (watching from the US)

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! And I am going to do more on composting.

[@mzeemrefu]

So thorough and reasonable!

[@jabopy9966]

Great information👌, I got my atco Bosch)quiet shredder in 1997 £299. a fantastic machine. Using the shred dings mainly for mulch and pathways. Wouldn't be without it.👍

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It has lasted well! Thank you.

[@maryanna6302]

Excellent video, if I had bought a shredder years ago I could have had plenty of compost every year! When you care for a sizeable garden you really do need to invest in a good shredder 🍃

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Agree!

[@pansepot1490]

Lol, I think I have the same shredder, or one very very similar. As you said it’s important to learn how to use it, which in my case included learning how to calibrate the blades so that they actually shred and not just chew. I have found that it’s great for pruning materials: twigs and small branches (in my model up to 4cm thick). Not suitable for weeds and similar soft material. Soft herbaceous material doesn’t really need shredding to compost. If one really wants to do it a lawnmower can do the job and also Hoover up the shreds.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Good point! We always mow the leaves on our lawn and put those into the compost.

[@speedsterh]

Very good all-around hints for the choice of using or not a shredder. Besides, I must say that you have such a beautiful, english-style garden, so green and "tasteful" ! Congratulations, I can only imagine the time spent to get this kind of results...

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I promise you that it is fairly easy care, but of course, it's much less neat close up! I do try to show the bits that haven't worked as well as the ones that have, but it's always more enjoyable to photograph the beautiful parts.

[@emilydryden5023]

This is really interesting. I do have a bigger garden with a lot of trees. I have a chipper for chipping the many sticks and branches that need to be cleaned up. And I have a love-hate relationship with a big shredding leaf blower. (It is always getting jammed. When it works, it fills up too quickly. But it produces significant quantities of shredded leaves that make the best mulch for the flower beds.) Somehow. I've never heard of a shredder. Maybe because I live in the U.S, But suddenly I want one.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Ah, a 'wood chipper' is often the same as a garden shredder. Check your model but you should be able to shred more than just sticks and branches with it.

[@paultsworld]

I wouldn't be without my trusty shredder - also a Bosch!. Alexander, those 'bin' incinerators do work extremely well and don't send ash floating around so much. Having said, just like you, I prefer shredding with my shreddings going straight on the compost - they heat the compost bin up rapidly with the mix of brown and green material - essentially twigs and leaves.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting, a couple of people have also said this, so I wonder if it's a question of learning how to use them.

[@paultsworld]

I put some kindling in first so a nice little fire can start. Quickly fill the whole incinerator up and put the lid on and stand well back! Air is sucked in at the bottom by hot air rapidly rising out of the top. It burns hot and quickly.

[@judithp8552]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I love my stainless steel incinerator its a great little burner. Very clean burner. Greetings from New Zealand

[@2gooddrifters]

I now know I need a shredder. Thankyou.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@marciakayser7407]

I rake my leaves into a large trash barrel and shred them with a weed whacker before dumping in the compost bin. I use a hand-cranked shredder ( like a large baby food mill) for my kitchen scraps before putting into my compost tumbler. Low tech and efficient.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Sounds excellent!

[@RoseMary-vs3io]

Great review, thank you👌👍

[@cambbrown6205]

Helpful, thank you. They are needed even more given the restriction on the number of visits that can be made to the recycling centre in COVID times. I think I may look into hiring a bigger one.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Hiring is certainly a good idea, especially to try out whether you need a bigger one. We are spending a lot of time shredding at the moment, but I think that's because we're doing a lot of cutting back.

[@helenlundberg1755]

Thanks for a great idea - now I am going to buy a shredder too 🤸‍♀️

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Hope it helps!

[@Goodnessgraciius]

I’m considering a garden shedder. Thanks for the advice!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@edwardwilliammorris1340]

Excellent advice. Thankyou

[@queeny6226]

Articulated very well indeed ! Thanks

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Petertronic]

Useful advice. In the last 5 years my local council has increased the garden waste collection from £45 to £70 per year.

[@jamestillett3002]

And dump it into land fill as well i had to pay £55 pound for the year all we got was 2 lousy garden sac which did not hold much

[@dianadonnelly]

The prime reason I’m considering a shredder is for mulch for beds and paths... of course that will eventually become compost... I almost don’t have enough material in my middle sized garden... if I do spend for a shredder I will be asking neighbors for their bagged leaves to shred and add all over our garden. I know some people want their mulch more uniform but my style is more chop and drop. Also will be spending less on compost and mulch.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Lucky neighbours! I've found that shredded clippings and lawn clippings make great mulch - very weed suppressant.

[@CB-pt2uo]

Really great information.

[@orchidgarden3124]

Great video! I really need a shredder!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful.

[@nspector]

Very helpful, once again.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@rabidavid614]

I've just found your videos. I'll certainly be checking out your other videos. A couple of thoughts re compositing and shredding ( chipping in our case). We and my neighbour, after cutting back woody shrubs / trees; the branches with leaves, are set aside behind the plants to act as a mulch, and provide habitat for the local wildlife. What doesn't decay after a season, can then be chipped, and this can then be used as a mulch or added to the compost heap. We've found it successful, and means that the green leaf matter has either fallen or rotted away. A final thought on chippers or shredders. If you have the option of buying a Mountfield (second hand) chipper, they are fairly quiet, chip up to 4cm diameter, though prefer drier matter, they are also robust, hence mine of 20+ years is still working... Anything that is too fine, is probably better for the compost heap.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, that's interesting.

[@srgandhi87]

Really helpful video, thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kirsty4444]

Thank you 😊

[@sandgroperwookiee65]

Really well thought & layed out advice👍👍 Yes Id love a shredder for this property..just need a lotto win to get a decent one. Till then its the blower-vac to shred leaves & the mower for small branches😯😊

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It did require a bit of a deep breath as it's a serious purchase in financial terms. I estimate that it will pay for itself in a couple of years, because I won't have to buy so much compost, but the outlay is still significant. A lot of commenters have said how useful the mower is, though.

[@elizabethblane201]

Such a well-done video.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@sevenowls7776]

My dustbin-type incinerator works really well; just dont clog it with smaller debris until its well alight with dry, larger wood. I also use one as a cold-smoker.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting, a few people have said this, so I suspect it's about learning how to use it, thank you for your input.

[@katblyth8153]

Great information, thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@prawnk1ng]

Great video. Could easily mistake it for broadcast quality programming and not KZbin.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! Though Broadcast might disagree.

[@susanb4816]

i collect everything together over the season and the following spring i rent a shredder, get it done in one day. save these chips for a year then use them as mulch. have about same size garden as shown here

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's a good tip!

[@RichDavey]

Yes I agree. My plan is to build a wooden bin and create more room for access

[@ateleskier7066]

We live out in the countryside (Scotland) and have about an acre of ground that joins onto woodland, with our own trees and shrubs to deal with plus the permanently invading goat willow, aspen and blackthorn from the woodland. We started off with an upright roller-type crusher, such as the one in the video, which we bought for about £40 secondhand. That was okay, but couldn't deal with the volume and variety of material we needed to shred. We then upgraded to a brand new Stihl GHE 355 for about £600, which was a big jump. That's been excellent and provided superb mulch from a wide range of material, although it's main limitation was its need for electricity meaning I always had to take the material to it and never the other way around. This has proved too limiting. We've now upgraded, hopefully the last time, to an Eliet Maestro Country petrol shredder costing a whopping £1,700. This thing can be moved anywhere and shreds anything you can put into the chute. We have 5 compost bins that feed our two 5x2m raised beds plus a large greenhouse, with anything spare being used to mulch flowerbeds and the bases of trees. This is the right tool for us now but it was a bit of a journey getting to here. Each shredder has its strengths and weaknesses so it really is, as the video states, a matter of choosing the right one for you, and you may not get it right first time. It's worth perservering though, as the compost we produce at home is superior to anything we can buy; those Springtime costs are a thing of the past now. I have a friend who also has an acre of ground and who, during the summer, takes a trailer load of prunings and material to the town recycling centre once per week. I was pointing out to him the fuel cost (Land Rover) and time he was wasting each week, and suggested a shredder. For some reason he seemed hesitant, but I know if he buys one he'll look back and laugh at the fact that he ever did anything else.

[@themontephone875]

I was actually thinking about that this morning while weeding...hmmm

[@mikeadamson6696]

A very useful subject presentation . Fortunately a have an allotment which allows to recycle my garden waste because Council charging and was closed in the early part of the Covid-19 lockdown

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's fortunate. We had such a pile building up over lockdown.

[@nicolekoren1699]

Thanks so much for this video! My husband and I hot compost our food waste in rodent-proof, large, plastic, insulated compost bins, but we simply have too much garden waste to compost in our smallish middle-sized garden (500m²). We have tried a shredder before but were disappointed. Next spring, we would like to make a series of cold compost wooden bins (like you have) and would really appreciate a detailed video on how you have built yours and how you use them.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I will put that on the list. In terms of building them, we bought a DIY kit, which was very simple to put together and has lasted ten years with no sign of falling apart. However it had transparent plastic covers, which you pull across and 'button' down, and those have worn through and were never convenient. I'd recommend a loose tarpaulin type cover which you could weight down and lift up easily when you need to add waste material or take out compost.

[@nicolekoren1699]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank you for the tip and thanks so much for the wonderful videos!

[@MrRafaztar]

have you read my mind?? I have been wondering about this all week

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Hope it helped!

[@totallydomestic433]

Me too!

[@annashiegl]

Fantasic, I've just been dithering about getting a shredder and which one? Your video was very helpful.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad I could help!

[@gutersteinker]

We have overgrown mangoes trees in here. I tried weed wacking and composting. But the simplest and fastest way is to use the grass mower with a mulching blade and do it in a single pass. Its also safer in my opinion

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, a number of people have suggested using the mower to cut up green waste, so that seems like a very good suggestions.

[@DessieTots]

On the contrary, the bin sized incinerators are very effective. You just have to be able to get a fire started in it, make sure the bin has plenty of ventilation holes and it is stable on the ground. The heat generated is more than enough to dispose of twigs and leaves etc. If you’re concerned regarding heat and flames damaging non waste, simply have an unwound and connected water hose ready.

[@speedsterh]

I use garden waste as fuel for BBQs. I don't need much to grill some sausages. I also use that waste to cook for my chicken (waste vegetables found at the end of markets)

[@KathysFlog]

Lol, the guy force-feeding the shredder just like my husband. So pleased I AM NOT a shredder!

[@RichDavey]

Brilliant well explained video. Just bought this shredder. What’s you view on the plastic darlik shaped compost bins? I like the look of your wooden version. My plastic versions are tucked away behind my greenhouse so always a pain getting wheelbarrow near. Think I need to move them for better access. Well done 👍

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think those bell shaped plastic bins are not very useful. It's difficult to rotate the compost at the top and almost impossible to get it out through the slat at the bottom.

[@stevecharters8965]

Shredders require a power source and regular maintenance and domestic models often have such a small aperture that you need to pre-cut and align the material to be shredded. A stout pair of leather gloves is usually adequate for ripping greenery from prunings. If you cram any soft waste (including kitchen waste) into heavy duty black plastic bags and then seal them the contents will rot down anaerobically. You can stack these out of the way or use them to construct temporary raised beds. Anything woody and thicker than a finger can be lopped to size and dried for kindling.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Very good points. We didn't have to cut our waste down to fit it into the shredder opening, however we did have to feed it in bit by bit, which takes time (and a certain amount of practice). So we didn't feel a domestic garden shredder saved time, but we do think that we'd rather shred garden waste and compost rather than take it to the recycling yard.

[@Cassieskins21]

Hi there, I live in the UK and my grass doesn't stay green during the spring and summer. Can you do a video on tips for keeping your lawn luscious and green?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

The only way to keep a lawn green is to water it regularly with a sprinkler system. But that does use a lot of water and if you're metered, it could also be expensive. But I will definitely do a lawn video at some point, thank you for the suggestion.

[@DebunkTV]

Nice upload 😊😊👍

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@DebunkTV]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden my pleasure. Hey you can also checkout my youtube channel. N pls don't forget to subscribe

[@luzi29]

At the waste Center you can give them the garden waste and take compost home for free where I live 😊 so the drive actually pays off

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's great. They charge for it here

[@pablo9364]

Is the model which is a dedicated chipper better for chipping. Just wondering which one to get. Looks cool

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'm sorry, I don't know the reply to that.

[@steveelkins52]

Bonfires are a nuisance in built up areas, just run your mower over soft leafy waste , it's much quicker , and use a self feeding crushing shredder for woody bits. Job done .

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's a good tip, thank you.

[@wudgee]

I agree, my neighbour’s drove me crazy burning stuff, it made my washing smell, I had to close windows in the summer etc. Always spoiled my enjoyment of the garden. I moved in the end.

[@Braisin-Raisin]

Thank you for your video! It was interesting to hear your experience with the Bosch. I bought one this year for the reasons you mentioned. Most of my waste is from many rose bushes plus other shrubs and greens from the vegetable garden. Here is my experience: The cuttings have to be dry and brittle. Green stuff doesn't work unless one feeds a flittle with a dried branch. Horrible are vines - they do not cut properly and can wrap themselves around the blades. I get around that by cutting the dried vines into lengths, about 1-2 meters and feed some with a dry branch. The opening is rather small so anything of a weird shape (like roots) has to be cut apart, The shredder is strong but slow, so one needs quite a lot of time and, of course, the advertising in no way corresponds to the reality re quantity and time. A "real" shredder that throws the chips out the side would be great but they cost a lot of money.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting. We've fed vines in, such as ivy, but it's slow.

[@babu7141]

Nice one, me lady! Regarding your choice of shredder, how does it cope with green material, in particular, with vines and conifers?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It seems fine. It takes a while to feed it all in, but it has dealt with everything so far.

[@jonigarrison4426]

Do you add grass clipping and/or weeds to your compost?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I add grass clippings, but also some torn up newspaper or cardboard in with them to balance out 'green and brown'. It seems to work fine if it's just approximate, you don't have to worry too much about quantities. I don't add weeds to the compost if it's 'easy compost' (ie you just throw everything in and it rots down slowly). But the shredder means that the compost heats up enough to destroy weed roots (theoretically), so I have added weeds. I know some people do, and others don't - I'm going to risk it. This post may help: www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/do-you-want-easy-compost-or-fast-compost/

[@troyyoung8167]

Because of the home style shredder design, days to mulch, and cost. I still don’t think it beats cutting out the large branches and running over the rest with a lawnmower.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's such a personal decision, isn't it? Ours made much easier because my husband actually enjoys shredding, if you don't, then a shredder is certainly not advisable!

[@amcluesent]

I buy a Hippo Bag when I'm doing a garden project

[@zarrow50]

Forest Master do a petrol mulching shredder for making compost which is fairly small.

[@frankscales7295]

The light stuff as shown in the vid can be piled up in a heap , you then rise the blade on the lawn mower and cut throw the heap, make sure you have no thick pieces of wood before you start, Thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

We'll try that!

[@perjensen3959]

I had a 13 meter tall cedarwood tree and used a cheap Gude garden shredder, the blue one, which did a great job when it didnt clog because of too much green stuff. But at branches it was quite good. But unfortunate a thing beneath the drum fell of, so the gab became much to wide, maybe because I was pressing too hard. I am not quite sure wether to buy it again. I only had it for about 2 years. Or buying an expensive one like a Bosch. But I believe the clog too. But maybe they last longer.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think that's quite a difficult decision. If you have a great deal of matter to shred, you could also consider hiring a bigger wood chipper which would be more resilient and do the job more quickly. Sometimes people get together with neighbours and hire a heavy duty wood chipper.

[@perjensen3959]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden No, it's more the other way around. I get small amounts through the year and more when I cut the fence. I have thought of buying this one: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXfWZ6Kuj7OtqZI from U. K. Or maybe settle for a new one of the same kind that was/ is quite cheep and then be more carefull.

[@terencecottington4273]

I have spent a few hours today looking at garden shredders as we have a fairly large garden and although we do compost and use the garden waste collection service offered to us by our local authority for a yearly fee, I still feel the need for a good garden shredder. I am torn between electric or petrol. Will let you know what I decide in the near future. Everything you have said in this video, I can say with confidence we face the same issues as you once did. I really found this very helpful. Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you and good luck!

[@botanicaltreasures2408]

I have Back in March we had a tornado which uprooted a lot of established trees. Just this week a tree service brought an industrial strength stump grinder. My neighbor said it was a robot with blades.(Like Edward Scissorhands but not as charming.) As I can I’m moving the resultant heaps of wood chips to fill in eroded areas. I would like to mulch my front yard next to my house, but the pest control guy said that would draw termites since the chips are untreated. I don’t think termites are as much a problem in cooler climates such as yours.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

We don't seem to have a problem with termites here in the UK, so I don't know anything about them, but it would be worth checking that your pest control person is correct. Sorry not to be more helpful, but it's a serious issue and I wouldn't like to give any wrong advice, and good luck with it all.

[@botanicaltreasures2408]

The Middle-Sized Garden From what I can tell the pest control man is right. I guess termites are one of the drawbacks to living in a subtropical climate. Our neighborhood has a standing contract with a pest control company. They treat two or three times a year. Happy autumn to you. Have a great week. 🍏

[@pleasestandby5954]

I find roller type shredders are better for woody material and blade types are better for greener bits

[@AbdulSalam-xe4md]

I wish I could just burn it all in an incinerator, its so convenient. You could just gather it all and let it dry out for a month or so whilst sheltered. Once the waste was ready just place into the incinerator and voila. My neighbour complains almost immediately, not because of smoke (there is none or little), but because he simply doesn’t like it.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, that is rather a problem with incinerators, I agree.

[@robinpetersson3081]

Beautifully made video. But I have to say my garden shredder, which looks a lot like yours, is entirely useless. It takes forever to put stuff through it and it clogs so easily. It can't handle branches thicker than your finger, and it doesn't like wet material (which adds a whole other layer of effort when you have to let your waste dry up before shredding it). And it's loud and intimidating (and it's not even the big dielse kind of shredder). So I am looking for one one of those quiter grinders that basically can shred anything, including a thick tree trunk. The shredder has a number of wheels with teeth on them that slowly rotates in opposing directions. It won't stop for anything and doesn't care if it's dry or wet. I am not sure they are effective and what their downsides are, but I feel it would be great for anyone with a medium sized garden. Search continues.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They're certainly not right for everyone. I'd love a bigger one, but we'd have nowhere to store it.

[@pureplay7071]

The council don't just give you a garden waste bin you have to pay for it..

[@barbaraboettcher9651]

👍

[@NinaLoves80s]

I try compost vegie and fruit waste but ant invade my compost not sure how to get rid of them naturally without harming the worms. Any idea to help me?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Ants aren't doing any harm to your compost - in fact, all that insect activity is part of what turns veggie and fruit waste into compost. It may be different where you live (if your ants sting, for example), but here in the UK, the Royal Horticultural Society suggests we leave ants be and shouldn't try to get rid of them. Once the compost is fully rotted down, the ants will probably move on. I hope that helps.

[@Tinyteacher1111]

What a beautiful woman!

[@johnmccrae1102]

Very informative video and you look really yummy as well .Ooh I love your voice!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@tanguydelooz2881]

Nobody ever talks about whether it is practical to feed this machine with piles of horse-chestnuts and other types of dry fruit, if you don't want them to grow in your compost. The Wolf Garten SDL has an optional bowl on top that could be useful. This Bosch model's feeder seems "kind of" bowl-shaped but I don't know if enough and if the chestnuts would be able to pass through on the whole width. I don't want to feed a couple thousands of chestnuts (from 1 tree) one by one in the hole on the side.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Oh, dear, no you don't. I think the only thing to do is to find someone who has one and try it out - if they're happy for you to do so. Or you could ask the manufacturers.

[@tanguydelooz2881]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thanks for your feedback !! I ordered one because it seems to work faster. Maybe I can buy a cheap bucket and cut out a hole at the bottom to the same effect.

[@tanguydelooz2881]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I am happy with it. It's powerful and fast. For the chestnuts, it will be great, pouring one small bucket at a time, full of chestnuts slowly into the feeder. Should be fine. Moreover the black plastic is slightly flexible. On the other hand, the schredded pieces of chestnuts aren't as thin as if you would use a device with the fast-rotating disc (i.e. the smaller Bosch model) but it is enough to avoid them growing. (I mean dry wood does get perfectly "bruised" but a chestnut gets "cut" by the shear pressure.)

[@totallydomestic433]

Could not find this on Amazon in USA. Only could find gas powered ones.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's tricky, as I don't know to what extent the same models are available world wide. But I'd suggest doing what we did, which is checking several sites for well reviewed models, and reading the 4 and 3 star reviews to find out what people are generally having an issue with or finding good, especially if they seem to have a similar garden to yours.

[@totallydomestic433]

The Middle-Sized Garden 👍

[@gabindalin7914]

In desperation I contacted Bosch, and this model is not sold in the USA. Have you found anything comparable? From the reviews, most seem unable to handle much more than dried leaves.

[@totallydomestic433]

Gabinda Lin I bought Earthwise chipper shredder. I mainly wanted to make mulch for my cottage garden. It chips nice & fine chips that i love because it will compost into great soil. But it doesn’t do small sticks, they just come through as sticks. I don’t put in leaves. Haven’t tried that, not sure it would work on them. Sticks can only be 1 1/2” thick. Eliminates the big sticks cause they won’t work in this machine. It has a plastic box for catching all shredded chipped material. Very handy! I love mine because it suits my needs for using yard trash to make a nice fine mulch. A heavy duty chipper shredder would be nice but takes gas & would take up more space in my garage. I opted for this & i am happy. I can always pick up more sticks the size i need from my neighbors stacks of yard waste on pick up day.

[@jonathansimmonds5784]

Wrong sort of shredder, in fact you need a chipper, much more quiet, drags the waste in rather than you having to push it through and if it gets clogged you flip the switch into reverse and it unclogs itself. Mine was the cheap Aldi one bought second hand off Marketplace for £20, plenty of them about for less than £50. Yes get a lightweight noisy shredder as well for the small stuff but for anything serious, like up to 2 inch diameter Buddleia and other long straight-ish branches the slow quiet wood gobbler is the main machine! For £50 I got both types, my garden doesn't know what's hit it, the new brown wheelie bin weighed a ton (figuratively) because I left a paving slab on top of the waste overnight to compress it, it's amazing how much one of those bins can hold especially if you do a jig on top of the slab as well...!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting!

[@convinth]

I have a garden just a bit bigger than yours and use a Viking/Stihl chipper and a shredder, both of which are robust and come with wheels, so easily transportable. Feeding material into them seems much easier than the Bosch though the chipper is noisy! Price-wise about the same (£400 each). That said, I have used various manufacturers over the years and none of them are exactly what I need.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Viking/Stihl are certainly another good brand - I've got a couple of their other tools which I'm very happy with.

[@dickhead0423]

Does your council not run a collection service?

[@dickhead0423]

If they don’t offer garden waste collections (even for a small annual subscription fee they’re still very worthwhile, especially when factoring in time, mess and fuel used going to the tip yourself), then go and see the lads collecting the non-recyclable waste bin when they do your house. A pile of bags would definitely disappear for a fiver or a tenner

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They do, but there's a charge and the waste bins provided aren't quite big enough for our waste clippings. They don't allow you to add extra bags. On the whole, I'd rather compost as much as I can because that saves money on compost too, but it's a bit 'six of one and half a dozen of the other' as to which method of disposing of clippings is best.