Are you about to tackle a major gardening project that will leave you with piles and piles of branches and leaves? You'll need to dispose of these eventually, and without a skip bin or some way of transporting the material to the tip, it could take a lot of effort. That is, if you don't have a wood chipper.
You can use all of that otherwise useless debris for something very handy - you can turn it into mulch. Wood chips and leaves are a primary component of garden mulch, and if you're about to trim or lop a tree in your yard, why not recycle what you otherwise can't use? As branches and dead leaves, it seems like it's not much good to anyone or for anything, but it can provide excellent cover for your growing plant beds.
Why use a wood chipper?
While a chipper won't take dead and dry branches, palm fronds or vines, all of your leaves and freshly cut branches will be churned up and spat out the other end in useable form. Even if you produce far more mulch than you need, the end product will be much more manageable to throw into your green waste bin than if you left the branches whole. You could even bag it up and give it to your neighbours, friends or family to use in their gardens. Whatever your needs, mulching your tree lopping debris and using it in your garden is a great way of reusing materials you have on hand.
How to safely use a wood chipper
Safety is paramount – as any machine like a wood chipper can be dangerous if they're not properly set up and used correctly. If you're using a wood chipper around your property, make sure everyone in your household knows not to approach you or the machine while it is operating. The chute where the debris comes out should be directed away from windows, cars or anywhere people might walk (i.e. a footpath). Not everyone around you will be wearing full protective clothing and equipment, so if you blow the wood chips onto the road or a public pathway, you could cause serious injury. The protective clothing you should wear includes full-length shirt and pants, thick gloves, eye and ear protection, covered shoes, and a helmet.
In the safest position and with the wheels chocked, you can direct the chipper chute towards a wheelbarrow or an area you want to start a pile of mulch. A director flap will add more control to where the wood chips end up. If this is completely open, the chips will fly in a wide arc, but if it is in the 'down' position, it will spread in a concentrated area.
Kennards Hire has the experience and know-how to help you use a wood chipper safely and effectively. For more information about why one of these machines would help your next DIY project, get in touch with your local branch today.