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'Disposing' of hedge trimmings

elderberryelderberry Posts: 118
in Problem solving
Having given up burning them, I currently tend to stick all the hedge trimmings (there's a lot of them) at the bottom of the garden, but what other ways are there to deal with them? I don't want to invest in a chipper, nor incinerate them: is there a way to get it all to break down by some other method

Posts

  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 226
    Patience and a Compost bin ?
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,452
    If its green waste you could mulch it up with a lawnmower 
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 8,728
    Bag them and take them to the recycling centre.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,079
    I mix mine in with grass clippings, weeds etc and compost it. It's privet though, so not too thick and woody. Conifer clippings, or leathery leaves like laurel, might take longer.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LeadFarmerLeadFarmer Posts: 1,464
    I tip mine out onto the lawn and go over them with the mower, then tip into the compost heap.
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,203
    The greenery I compost, along with the thinner woody pieces.
    The thick woody pieces I strip of greenery, and then pile up in a designated corner of the garden, for wildlife - which includes a family of slow-worms. I also bury pieces in the soil, which helps them break down more quickly.

    If you think that might not work, think again. Earlier this year I had 4x4 inch post that I needed to dispose of. At about 5ft long, it was a challenge. I buried it, and lifted the soil a couple of weeks ago, just to take a look.  It's well rotted, and the bugs are loving it. Far better than burning it.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,925
    This may provide some ideas …https://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/dead-hedging-wildlife-friendly-and-people-guiding/

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,119
    My dog is an avid stick collector and has supplied me with plenty of material for a dead hedge. I wind the pyracantha clippings into it as well as other things I don't want to be surprised by in the compost and it's been a massive boom to the local wildlife. We have plenty of birds who forage in amongst the branches and are also starting to see stag beetles because we buried some of the wood. 
    You can also use it in the base of planters where it will break down in time and help soak up moisture.
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