Garden shredders like hedge trimmings, withered leaves, and grass cuttings not only discourage costly disposal methods but also provide great garden nourishment in the form of mulch and compost. Many types of garden shredders like high torque rollers, discs and drums are available in the market. Here we have for you some great tips to use them efficiently and safely:

Maintain the blade: For the long life of your garden shredders, make sure the blades are neatly maintained.

• Always ensure the blades are sharp. In order to maintain the condition of the blades, shred the waste soon after pruning as it is soft and will become compost easily.
• Don’t mix sappy waste and dry waste as it will clog the blades
• Always clean the blades immediately after shredding.
• See that stones don’t get into the machine as they will either blunt the blades or in worse cases, may fly out.
• See that the pieces of branches do not go beyond the cutting diameter of the machine.

Maintain separate piles for varied material: Keeping separate piles of different waste makes your work easier later. You can use shredded leaves for compost. Green, sappy and softer material can be used as mulch, whereas the woody parts can be used both for paths as well as mulch.

Keep the way clear: Don’t overload your garden shredders as that may result in a jam and overheating. It is safe to use a stiff and stout branch to push softer material, which may otherwise result in tangling and clogging. Also, pay heed to the sound of the engine. If the sound slows down, then it may be an indication to reduce the load. Further, in order to prevent clogging, put the stouter ends of the branches first.

Wear proper clothing: While operating garden shredders , don’t wear loose clothing. Avoid wearing baggy clothes and accessories like belts that hang loosely. They may get caught in the machine and result in disaster.

Take care of your hands: Don’t clear the outlet with your hands; it may get caught. Use a stick. Don’t handle the waste with bare hands as sometimes certain vines may cause some allergies. Always wear gloves as they protect your hands from scratches and cuts, apart from giving you a firm grip. Also, don’t use your hands to push the material through the feeder of the garden shredders as they may get caught and be dragged into the crushing unit.

Protect your eyes and ears: Always wear goggles as sometimes the feed may be ejected back and may get into your eyes, thereby causing discomfort or in a worse scenario, may even damage your eyes. If the shredder is too noisy use ear defenders.

Use a dust mask: Wearing a dust mask while loading the garden shredders not only prevents you from breathing the dust from the debris but will also protect you from pollen. If you are particularly allergic to pollen it is also better to take a prescribed allergy medicine before the process.  You can also use nasal saline rinses on an hourly basis to ease your sinuses.