Topic: Shredded Waste

[Roy Bham UK]

Whilst walking my dog I noticed on the green belt the council had been hard pruning large bushes, shredding them and dumping the remains in heaps here and there. :D

If I got permission to help myself to it, what would be the best use for it on my lottie, I need something for the paths? any good? or as mulch? any ideas welcome. 8)

[ina]

Ah, I just posted about this under 'Soil paths'.
I use it for the paths and as a mulch layer around the base of the blue berry bushes and some other things that can't stand dry feet.

[Plottie]

MMMMmmmmmmmmm very optomistic of you Roy - the council giving you something for nothing?? I don't think so somehow!! Hey but nothing ventured, nothing gained so go for it but be sure to let us know what they say!
And if you do get some, I would  say it's fine for paths if laid on top of plastic membrane otherwise - although it'll look nice to start with, but come spring the weeds will come sprouting through to ruin your beautiful paths
Plottie  :)

[ina]

Why would you ask? It's dicarded stuff, a by-product of their pruning, they are going to pick it up later to dispose of, maybe on a big compost heap? I really doubt anybody would give it a second thought if you took the wood chips. We do it every year, some people even tell us where we can find a pile. I never even thought of asking permission, I just thought there'll be less for the city to clean up if we take some.
As a matter of fact we always hope to catch the city workers while chipping or collecting the stuff so we can try our luck by asking them to dump a load on the lottie complex parking lot. One lady managed to talk them into this a few years back and I'll try when I get a chance.

If I go by our city council, probably nobody cares but nobody wants to take responsibility to give you the go ahead and if you press for an answer they might take the safe way out and say no.

[Roy Bham UK]

De man from de council he say YES! 8) The only problem now is, it’s covered in snow, :-\  just hope they don’t get to it B4 me. >:(

Thank you both for input and advice, most welcomed. ;)

Ina my reason for asking them is if it don’t belong to me it must belong to someone else, ;)  even our local council tip have a sign pointing out that goods dumped here belong to the council, that rule also applies to refuse bags that are put out on collection day.

[ina]

Good deal! I'm glad for you.

You know, over here when you have 'big refuse', stuff that doesn't fit in the bins but not good enough for the recycle places, you have to call a number and they tell you what day they pick it up in your area. You have to put it on the curb by 7 that morning, not allowed to put it the evening before. There are people who know the routes and dates and they go early in the mornings and pick the stuff they can use from the piles. These people are called 'Morning Stars'. I have seen some good stuff on the curb but I guess it would be illegal to take it where you are.

[Clayhithe]

In Cambridge several tree surgeons are so keen to get rid of wood shreddings that they will deliver a lorryload for free!

The same stuff from a local mulch company costs an arm and a leg.

It's a funny world.

[Roy Bham UK]

Well I've been and gone and done it, :D a hard days slog, 18 barrow loads of wood chippings = two large builders sand bags full to the brim and over flowing. :o courtesy of our council. ;)

I was going to take a picture of them but thought (how sad) better of it, :P my daughter allowed me to drop it off in her garden to keep safe until I can move it bit by bit up to the lottie, 8) hope I have stored enough :- ;D ;D

[ina]

Great Roy, you'll be glad you did.

[Roy Bham UK]

Thanks Ina,  ;) can't make up my mind whether  to lay weed suppressant or not or even old carpet? under it to prolong the wear, because I don't think the council prune every year in our area, as they chopped a few trees down and that will take a while to re-grow ???

[ina]

Probably will prolong the life of the chips to put something underneath, even cut open compost bags.
Have you thought about edging so it doesn't spread out? Last year we finally edged all our paths with old, narrow bricks, looks pretty too. We couldn't use wood because our paths wind all through the flower patch making it hard to use anything rigid. Commercial plastic edging is flexible but rather expensive.
I save the unused chips in plastic bags with holes poked in them, still they would mould over the months but one day out in the sun and all the mould will be gone.

[Roy Bham UK]

Thanks again Ina I've taken your tips onboard ;) I quite like the sound of brick edging although the paths will be straight I could change to bricks a little at a time :)

There are still a couple of mounds of chippings left, I'm very tempted to be greedy and get more :o they don't eat anything do they :D

[ina]

Hi Roy, thought I'd just show you how we did the paths with wood chips.
When we laid the bricks we already had the chip paths, now it's much easier to dump and spread them with the edging in place.

[Roy Bham UK]

That looks lovely Ina, it does appear more natural having a winding path and tidy too, 8) thanks for showing, roll on spring ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

An update on the shredded waste, the chips are down, ;D  one large builders sand bag of chips laid and one still to go, :o  thanks to three willing grandchildren and their lovely Mums. 8)

I am hoping there will be enough left to cover the side paths to each bed, the beds will be approx 10ftx4ft tackled one at a time should be less daunting. :-\

Soz about quality of second pic as I had to use my mobile. ::)

[wardy]

Good piccies Roy.  Glad to see you'd got some help with your path project  :)

[ina]

Now that's what I call a path. Looking good.