We’re just about into the autumn clean up, the time we ‘put our gardens to bed’ for the winter.
Weeding, pruning then top dressing with a good layer of compost will see flower beds through the winter and leave them enriched and ready for strong growth next spring.
You can start cutting back annual shrubs now – those which flower spring and early summer – but a return visit will be necessary when the later-flowering shrubs have finished blooming.
Not that many years ago we happily collected all the prunings and then burned them on a November 5th bonfire.
But anyone with a larger garden will be left with an enormous bonfire, and although drifting autumnal smoke has a heady scent this is not always appreciated by the neighbours!
Shredding pruned wood will give you compostable material which will rot down quickly and can even be used straight away around the roots of larger plants to protect them from the bitter winter we’re supposed to be getting thanks to our old mate El Nino.
So here are two great chipper shredders which will deal with all manner of garden waste including small twigs and branches.
The Earthquake CS6B Petrol Chipper-Shredder is one of the most popular, reducing waste volume by a ration 20.1. This machine can also deal with branches up to 5cm in diameter.
It uses cutting knives and is designed with a flywheel which pulls twigs and branches into the body of the machine.
Swinging hammers will pulverise softer debris leaving a fine mulch.
Once reduced to mulch it is passed through to a 70-litre collection bag.
The engine is from Briggs & Stratton, 205cc, easy to start and made to last.
It has a low centre of gravity and is easy and safe to move around with large wheels underneath.
A vacuum kit is also available, and this can save a lot of time collecting the debris.
The machine costs £799, is delivered free within two to three working days and has a two year maker’s warranty.
Its big brother, the Earthquake CS10 Petrol Chipper-Shredder has a larger 305cc Briggs & Stratton engine and is often the choice of professional gardeners faced with larger areas of land to clean up.
This one can take branches up to 7.5cm diameter, and will prove handy when fruit trees and bushes are pruned and well as shrubberies.
There is also an optional vac kit available.
This one costs £999 and is delivered free within two to three working days, again with a two year warranty.
For a full list of chippers and shredders, see these pages.
