So that garden waste rots quickly in the compost and can be used as fertilizer, it should be shredded well beforehand. Shredders are ideal for this purpose, with which you can also chop large amounts of compost material into small pieces. Which devices are suitable for chopping compost?
Which devices are suitable for chopping compost?
There are three main types of equipment suitable for shredding compost: knife shredders, roller shredders and shredders with turbine cutters. They process tree and shrub cuttings, leaves, dried plants as well as fruit and vegetable waste into fine compost material.
Which compost can you shred?
Basically, you should cut all garden waste into small pieces before composting. Since shredding large quantities by hand can be very strenuous, it is worth purchasing a garden shredder.
A good shredder is indispensable, especially in large gardens with a lot of tree and shrub pruning.
All materials from the garden and kitchen can be chopped:
- Tree remains
- Shrub cutting
- Leaves
- dried plants
- Fruit and vegetable waste
Attention: You should neither shred nor compost garden waste that contains pests or fungal spores such as mildew. Such waste belongs in the household waste.
Various devices for chopping compost
The market for shredders for the garden is unmanageable. A distinction is made between three main types:
- Knife shredder
- Roller shredder
- Chopper with turbine cutting unit
The larger the garden, the higher quality and more powerful the shredder should be.
Knife shredders work very quickly, but are very loud and therefore not ideal in densely built-up residential areas. Roller shredders are quieter, but they don't chop the compost as quickly. Shredders with turbine cutting units are both quiet and fast.
Only buy shredders with a test seal
It's better to spend a little more money on a shredder with a seal of approval (€495.00 at Amazon). The risk of injury is not as great here as with cheap offers.
Make sure that the knives or rollers are easy to remove as they need to be cleaned and sharpened regularly.
An integrated collection basket can be very useful for collecting the chopped compost material. This saves you having to rake up afterwards.
Chopping compost with protective clothing
When chopping garden waste, protect your skin and eyes from flying debris. No matter which shredder you use, flying shredding particles cannot be completely avoided.
Tip
You should store very moist garden waste in the garden before chopping so that it dries out. Dry shrubbery is very suitable for making compost that is too moist drier.
