I’ve always considered garden shredders as a luxury piece of kit – I could see the benefit in owning one, but didn’t think they warranted the investment. But they’re much cheaper than I imagined and, having been sent one to put through its paces, I’m instantly hooked on shredding. It’s at around about this time of year that I chop down my Autumn raspberry canes so decided they were the perfect material with which to test out the shredder’s capabilities. Last year, as with most things that get chopped, I left them clogging up a shed until I could be bothered to drive them to the recycling centre (I never seem to chop on a day when it’s open). This year they’re being instantly pulverised by the Sovereign shredder – a natty red number that can handle material up to a 40mm capacity.
The canes demise was swift and painless. Each one was immediately gripped by the spinning twin blades and drawn through the machine, chewed into 100s of tiny pieces and spat out in the awaiting bucket.
It didn’t take long to clear the plot and I was hungry for more action. Left over bits of Christmas tree: shredded. Lifeless stalks and twigs from miscellaneous garden matter: shredded. Bits of shrubbery trespassing from the neighbour’s hedge: shredded.
For all the power tool thrills a shredder provides, the real benefit of shredding at home lies in the reward of the resultant organic matter. It’s perfect to add to compost, where it’ll start to break down swiftly, or used as mulch. Mine was liberally scattered around the now bare raspberry patch where it’ll slowly nourish the roots and provide some protection from weeds eager to make it their home before the new canes emerge.
This shredder came from Homebase as one half of a power tool double act – the accompanying hedge trimmer will have to wait until later before it gets a run out, but the prospect of more shredding means that’s a task I’ll get round to earlier than usual.
Note: Homebase sent us the shredder and trimmer combo to review
