Leaves are a common material to shred, and make great organic composting material.
Garden shredders and wood chippers are helpful machines for enthusiastic home gardeners. They reduce garden waste and create material for use in mulching and organic composting. There are several different types of shredders and chippers available on the market, with prices that vary according to function and price. Before you purchase a shredder or chipper for your home garden, which can be a significant investment, decide on the type of machine that will best suit your actual needs--some come with more functions than you might realistically use. Does this Spark an idea?
Cutters
Many cutting machines are designed specifically for the suburban home gardener. The cut-and-crush varieties are ideal for small- to medium-sized shrub and tree branches or leafy twigs. The organic material is fed into the machine, where a gear pulls it into a drum equipped with rotating metal teeth. Most versions produce inch-sized pieces of wood chips.
Dynamic Shredders
Dynamic shredders use a turbine to cut branches and twigs. The turbine shreds materials more quickly than cut-and-crush shredders, but most models are designed to handle only thin branches or smaller items. This type of shredder pulverizes materials into particles less than an inch in diameter.
High-Power Wood Chippers
Residential wood chippers are high-performance machines. Some models have engines of up to 10 horsepower, and can be either electric or gas-powered. Large pieces of wood, twigs, branches and leaves can all be deposited into the hopper. This type of machine handles small shrubs and bushes as well.
Leaf Shredders
Leaf shredders are designed for one primary purpose--to shred leaves finely. They are built with whip chords or serrated cutting blades. These types of shredders are not ideal for shredding wood. Shredded leaves stored in a designated compost bin are generally transformed into rich compost material within about a month, so if your yard contains many trees or you have a need for a lot of fertilizer, this machine is a good option.
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