What Can You Shred in a Garden Shredder?

Garden shredders are so much more versatile than many realise! Here are just a few of the materials that you could shred in your garden shredder: 

1. Woody Waste

Not all garden shredders are suitable for woody waste. However, the ones that are will usually be able to shred the following: 

• Small branches and twigs less than about 4cm in diameter
• Hedge clippings
• Dried vines 

Make sure that you check the recommended diameter of woody materials for your garden shredder before feeding branches through – anything too large could damage your machine. 

2. Leaves, Weeds, and Other Green Materials

Again, not all garden shredders can cope with green materials. However, if yours can, you should be able to easily shred the following: 

• Leaves 
• Freshly pulled weeds (remove any dirt and stones from around the roots) 
• Small bushes and plants 
• Grass clippings (avoid shredding large clumps of grass) 

3. Paper and Cardboard

Most garden shredders will cope with paper, and some will happily shred cardboard too. However, make sure that you’ve torn your cardboard up into smaller pieces, removing any tape that may be attached. Check that your cardboard isn’t too thick either, as this could cause a jam. 

4. Hay

If you have livestock, you may be interested to know that some garden shredders are capable of shredding hay, resulting in chopped hay that you would usually need larger machinery to produce. Chopped hay can be extremely useful for animals that need to put on weight, or for those that require an energy boost over the winter months. 

5. Kitchen Scraps

If your kitchen scraps aren’t breaking down fast enough in your compost heap, try shredding them first. Some of the plant-based kitchen leftovers that you could put into your garden shredder include: 

• Potato peelings 
• Eggshells
• Bread
• Leafy greens 
• Vegetables
• Citrus rinds 

As you can see, other than large branches, garden shredders can be used for just about everything. Depending on what you’re shredding, your shredded waste can then either be used as a mulch or added to your compost bins.