Making leaf mulch with our wood chipper
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- One aspect in being sustainable is utilizing the resources you have and limiting external inputs (i.e. store-bought compost, soil, and amendments). Here in Michigan we have always abundance of leaves. When shredded, leaves work great as a mulch and encourage both mycelium and worm activity in your garden. A few ways you can shred leaves are by using a chipper, running them over with a lawnmower, or throwing them into your chicken run.
I use a DP power chipper for the job. They have that top hopper that works really well. I run the leave twice and end up with a really attractive mulch.
DRT fan boy here. Only used the chipper for first couple years. Now it's shredded leaves forever.
I did this for more than 25 years with my Kemp 8 HP chipper/shredder. Chopped leaves make wonderful compost, if you have patience, and good mulch. Now, I take my leaves to the township, where it's turned into compost, and I can get all I need.
Excellent!!! Leaves are not missing! But the shredder is excellent. I guess it doesn't take her long to assimilate into the existing land.
Wow, that’s the finest chop I’ve seen yet! I tried the walk behind mower with the grass catcher method, that is the roughest cut. Some of the leaves don’t even get cut. Bags full of air, sometimes hard to empty the bag onto my compost pile. Next I bought a leaf shredder, the kind with the big funnel on top and weed whip style shredder inside. This works pretty well, but the chop isn’t as fine as your chipper! I like experimenting with efficiency. I wonder what your technique would be like with a hose on the output of your chipper. Point the hose at your garden or compost pile and eliminate 1 step.
Oh, like 5” accordion black plastic drain hose? That would work good but to be efficient you really need at least two people, one feeding the hopper and one directing the hose. Extra folks (or kids) could rake those leaves to the chipper.
I have been doing something similar for years. Ergonomics and efficiency are the key. I fill several trash cans with leaves and than lay them horizontally on top of another trash can so I feed the chipper for a while. I don't use the bag, I aim the the shoot at a hillside or wheelbarrow and put a piece of panel on the ground to protect the grass, Still takes forever, but I have lots of oak leaves and a lot of area that needs mulch. And the poking stick and ear protection are essential .
That is a fine mulch just as good if not better than my lawn mower.
With this amount of dry leaves every year, you can not only make mulch, but also heat the house with it almost for free. But for this you need to grind the leaves into an even smaller fraction and have some kind of press for briquettes.
I add my unmulched leaves directly onto my garden beds. The question is whether mulched versus whole leaves makes a difference in the long run as far as breaking down and garden productivity. In my garden, the whole leaves are broken down by mid summer. Is the time and fuel costs to mulch leaves worth it?
@@scout7060 Yes, I just wish that the grass clippings and leaves came at the same time...talk about the rich compost that would make
No. I think the way you suggest works well. I have seen other videos in which people bury branches, too.
@@tatermater2613 I let the lawn grow taller under the trees, then mow and bag the leaves and grass at the same time.
Wow! Very simple to do!!
Did that chipper cost much? Looks quite handy
It is interesting how fallen leaves are used as natural fertilizer in agricultural work!
Just like in nature.
Use a lawn mower. Almost everyone has a lawn mower. Just run the leaves thru the mower twice. Very few people have chippers. They’re quite expensive.
Just use a lawnmower. Way faster and easier
Most of the time I do go the lawnmower right cause it saves more time.
Only really breakout the chipper/shredder when I want a really fine mulch.
Your chipper must have a larger opening in the hopper than most chippers. From the other videos I have seen. Many have abandon shredding leaves. The throat is to small. You can only put a hand full in at a time. With all the leaves you have. You would still be trying to shred Last falls leaves.
I just bury a layer of leaves about 8 inches belong my planting depth, and the worms have them gone by the next spring. It really is one of the best things I can do in my area for my planting soil..
I have mountain of leaves in my back garden. Do you think this machine can handle it.
Triple mulch with a standard mulching lawn mower
(please excuse my ignorance) What is this mulch used for? To enrich the soil, instead of a fertilizer?
If you pile the leaf mulch thick enough in your garden, it makes an incredible natural weed barrier. In the spring, simply dig out little holes to plant your seedlings and leave everything else covered in leaf mulch. Weeds will be almost zero. At least that's my understanding. I''m going to try it myself this fall.
I prefer to compost them along with grass clippings and then add them to the garden at planting time.
this a better strategy than just dumping uncomposted leaves on the garden each fall.
I'm looking at the predator chipper shredder from harbor freight. This will be good for leaves too?
Dear sir I get yourself a 6x12 trailer build as box and put the shredderj in the trailer ang
Should have all those leaves cleaned up by next fall! At least you don’t have to store the shredder away 🤷♂️
What kind of chipper do you have?
It's a Tazz K32.
Wehre Nica I subscrebel Yours Video Josef XX
Mantap kawan
Bjuti fuul 🙃👍👌
Have a DR chipper/shredder, model 400. The shredded product comes out much finer than the one he was using. There is no bag, so do not have to stop and empty it. Have a lot of leaves, but not like this gentleman.
Go for an electric shredder and no bag, just scrape the pile to one side
Turns out great stuff I'm sure,but man that looks time consuming
l just use the bagger on rider to get where he is at ....
Why don't you just carry the chipper bag to the garden?
Thanks, I'll use my $700 wood chipper instead of buying a $140 leaf mulcher.
"limiting external inputs" .... Then smashing it all up with Fossil Fuels! Not exactly sustainable is it
What you are doing is ridiculously slow, labor-intensive and a pure waste of time. My yard is similar to yours and I just ride around on my lawnmower mowing the leaves while pulling the big lawn vacuum that sucks all the leaves up at the mower discharge and has an extra set of cutting blades inside, I get more of the same leaf mold with 1% of the work! What you doing would be a kin to painting your house with 1 inch paintbrush
Don't you just love self righteous pricks on RUclips 😂
Sir please contact number