[polly nator]

I have saved all sorts of stuff I am cutting down at the moment, buddleia, raspberries, lavender bushes  etc as I'd like to turn them into a nice mulch for the veg beds over winter. Does anybody know of any organisations or local community projects or allotments in York area who would have a shredder I could use?

I dont think I really have the space to store if I bought one and it might not make economic sense to go and buy one for such a small garden area.

[Yorkie]

I don't know of any local organisations who would be prepared to help out in that way.  They'd certainly be unlikely to lend them to you to use for insurance reasons at the very least.

My lotty association often arranges a local company to do us some shredding after a hedge care day in early Feb, but it is industrial sized and costs us the best part of £200 a time.

You can probably hire a shredder from a hire shop - I've a feeling there's one near the junction of Haxby & Wiggy Road, there's probably others too.

[Martin]

If the branches aren't too thick, you can do a good shredding job job with a lawnmower. Spread the cuttings out, put the lawnmower on the highest cutting height and go over a few times. Rake over, lower the cutting height and go over a few more times. Use the thicker branches as plant supports.

[8doubles]

It may be stating the obvious but if you are going to use it for mulch take the seed heads off first or next year the veg beds will become a buddlia forest.

Buddlia wants to take over the planet and grows anywhere.