I see there's been a bit of correspondence on this in the past, but
I'm not sure which way to turn.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this. However I also have to deal with what
starts out as something like 4 cubic metres of oak leaves every year.
I turn these into leaf mould in bulk builder's sacks, but it takes
about three years to complete the job, and space is limited. I started
off with a wire mesh bin but the leaves on the outside were too dry
and didn't decompose.

I'd hoped to get a shredder that would take leaves and by mincing them
up speed up the composting process. My ideal would be to get it down
to one year like regular compost, but even 2 years would be helpful.

Is there something to do both jobs or are two machines necessary? I've
not tried this but I suspect it wouldn't be very practical to run my
lawn mower over the leaves - not that quantity anyway.

In article om,
says...
I see there's been a bit of correspondence on this in the past, but
I'm not sure which way to turn.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this. However I also have to deal with what
starts out as something like 4 cubic metres of oak leaves every year.
I turn these into leaf mould in bulk builder's sacks, but it takes
about three years to complete the job, and space is limited. I started
off with a wire mesh bin but the leaves on the outside were too dry
and didn't decompose.

I'd hoped to get a shredder that would take leaves and by mincing them
up speed up the composting process. My ideal would be to get it down
to one year like regular compost, but even 2 years would be helpful.

Is there something to do both jobs or are two machines necessary? I've
not tried this but I suspect it wouldn't be very practical to run my
lawn mower over the leaves - not that quantity anyway.


Well I use my lawn mower for leaves, its going to be quicker than picking
them up then putting through a shredder, plus if they are on grass then
the combo of leaves and grass rots a lot quicker :~)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On 12/11/07 13:40, in article
, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

In article om,
says...
I see there's been a bit of correspondence on this in the past, but
I'm not sure which way to turn.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this. However I also have to deal with what
starts out as something like 4 cubic metres of oak leaves every year.
I turn these into leaf mould in bulk builder's sacks, but it takes
about three years to complete the job, and space is limited. I started
off with a wire mesh bin but the leaves on the outside were too dry
and didn't decompose.

I'd hoped to get a shredder that would take leaves and by mincing them
up speed up the composting process. My ideal would be to get it down
to one year like regular compost, but even 2 years would be helpful.

Is there something to do both jobs or are two machines necessary? I've
not tried this but I suspect it wouldn't be very practical to run my
lawn mower over the leaves - not that quantity anyway.


Well I use my lawn mower for leaves, its going to be quicker than picking
them up then putting through a shredder, plus if they are on grass then
the combo of leaves and grass rots a lot quicker :~)

Ray does the same with the tractor mower, though he has to choose a day when
the lawn hasn't decided to give an imitation of a bog-garden!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 03:48:12 -0800, andyv wrote:

I'd hoped to get a shredder that would take leaves and by mincing them
up speed up the composting process. My ideal would be to get it down
to one year like regular compost, but even 2 years would be helpful.

I'm not sure about using a shredder for for leaves, wouldn't the inlet on
them be too small? I use a leaf blower/vacumn to reduce leaf volume which
works really well, I just drop it on the floor and feed them into it.
Useless for prunings of course.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 03:48:12 -0800, andyv wrote:

I'd hoped to get a shredder that would take leaves and by mincing them
up speed up the composting process. My ideal would be to get it down
to one year like regular compost, but even 2 years would be helpful.

I'm not sure about using a shredder for for leaves, wouldn't the inlet on
them be too small? I use a leaf blower/vacumn to reduce leaf volume which
works really well, I just drop it on the floor and feed them into it.
Useless for prunings of course.

Steve

At one of my old houses I had one of these

http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/mo...76-atcorot.htm

I had half an acre of neck high brambles, nettles and God knows what when I
moved in. I took the top off with a rip hook then went over it time and time
again with the Atco. This took it down to grass and when the leaves fell
from the orchard, it reduced them to fine almost powder which was easy to
scoop up because the output of the Atco was a shoot on the back left had
corner so it left a nice little row.



:-)

Mike


--
www.rnshipmates.co.uk for ALL Royal Navy Association matters
www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates.
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will be there.

"andyv" wrote in message
ps.com...
I see there's been a bit of correspondence on this in the past, but
I'm not sure which way to turn.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this.

Two Thousand Two Hundred Horsepower? You must have big prunings :-)

CWatters wrote:
"andyv" wrote in message
ps.com...
I see there's been a bit of correspondence on this in the past, but
I'm not sure which way to turn.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this.

Two Thousand Two Hundred Horsepower? You must have big prunings :-)


This year I treated myself to a petrol Woodsman shredder, I have lots of
hedging and was fed up feeding the cuttings a handful at a time into my
electric Bosch. This shredder is the bees knees, I just throw the
cuttings in and out they come much more finely shredded. Also as a plus
you can tip it whilst running so that the mouth is along the
ground,leaves are then simply brushed or raked in, they come out very
finely shredded indeed. Two disadvantages, one it is noisy, secondly if
not very careful it can discharge sawdust shreddings into the air.

Andy,
I have a Bosch 2200HP - its a chipper not a shredder so it is useless with
leaves and thin stalks - it throws them out untouched.
At the moment I shred my leaves with an electric blower/sucker shredder.
But is slow work.

A cheap Bosch shredder would shred leaves but for leaves you need a shredder
with a hopper feed - these are not that common.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this. However I also have to deal with what
starts out as something like 4 cubic metres of oak leaves every year.

In article , Steve
writes

I'm not sure about using a shredder for for leaves, wouldn't the inlet on
them be too small?

Er has a few words become detached here Steve? How big are your leaves?
I find my Stihle/Viking shredder excellent for shredding most things
including fairly thick stems, leaves, hawthorn twigs and so on.

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Davy wrote:
Andy,
I have a Bosch 2200HP - its a chipper not a shredder so it is useless with
leaves and thin stalks - it throws them out untouched.
At the moment I shred my leaves with an electric blower/sucker shredder.
But is slow work.

A cheap Bosch shredder would shred leaves but for leaves you need a shredder
with a hopper feed - these are not that common.

I have a fair few prunings from bushes to get rid of and the Bosch
2200HP looks ideal for this. However I also have to deal with what
starts out as something like 4 cubic metres of oak leaves every year.

I guess this has made up my mind that I'll have to do without for now.
My twiggy stuff will have to go in the green recycling bin, my soft
stuff on the compost heap and I'll just have to find a way to rot down
my leaves more efficiently. I just wish it didn't take up so much room.