Mulching with privet
Mrs G
Posts: 336
Does anyone know if I can shred privet and use it straight on beds as a mulch or would I need to compost it first? Just wondering if it would break down enough between now and spring on damp soil, it being mainly leafy green material.
0
Posts
I do but that's no recommendation
In the sticks near Peterborough
If it's good enough for you nutcutlet, it's good enough for me. It won't be on edibles so what's the worst that can happen
I shred any shrub/tree/ dry perennial stalk and it all goes back on the garden. Wonderful round newly planted shrubs etc, retains the moisture all through summer, keeps weeds down, unless you count the seedlings from the dried flower stems as weeds
In the sticks near Peterborough
Looks like I have lots of lovely free mulch to look forward to then!
It's amazing how small a heap you get from a mountain of prunings.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I run over my privet cuttings with my mower, then tip them onto the compost.
Ours gets done one a year LF. This week I hope, before the birds move in. The 'trimmings' are 3 foot long. They'll be longer this year, we're going to reduce it by an extra 3 foot or so, we're talking about logs from that.
The mower will clear up the bits at the end
In the sticks near Peterborough
Alan
I am lucky enough to be getting a shredder for my birthday so I will let you know how good it is Alan. We recently removed some privet so I will have lots of woody stuff to shred. I can use that as mulch now and put the green clippings in the composter later in the year.