[Celtic Eagle]

i've just had a thought and not sure if it will work. I have access to lots of shreeded paper,(old reports, scrap paper from th printers etc) Now I've been putting it in the compost heap cos i know it will rot in there but the question is

If i dig it into the beds now or bury it in the trenches will it rot down ready for the spring? If not will it do any harm to bury it under th beans potatoes etc?

[tully]

I got a tip from a fellow allotmenteer and he said to put seed potatoes on shredded newspaper.  Keeps away nasties and it did

I did this last year, buried the paper under the potatoes and when we dug them up there was no evidence of paper......think that is your answer.

[Aidy]

used some old shredded record cards from our files at work and dug them into the manure heap, got some weird looking fungus from them, that was two years ago, ask my pink elephant.  :shock: but didnt do any harm to the plants. An old boy puts old newspapers into his bean trench then covers with soil, he always get a good crop.

[becky]

I put a load of newspapers in the bottom of my bean trench, it kept the soil so much wetter for them, it wasn't shredded though. I us shredded paper for the chickens bedding, then put that in the compost bin with the rabbits saw dust and straw, it makes a lovely compost!

[muntjac]

it keeps nasties away cos the inks are toxic ,shredded paper is not a good idea for chucks as it gets wet easier unless you change it regualr.

[yewtreemob]

I have about 6 carrier bags of shredded paper a week to get rid of (mostly mono type on 80gsm paper) so I have experimented with everything!

Goes well under bean trenches etc - I put down approx 1 carrier bag full per foot of trench about a foot down.  Retains moisture well.

I use it in the compost ESPECIALLY with grass clippings as it stops them going mushy.  Also mixes with leaves but no special advantage here - just gets rid of the bl**dy paper.

I did use them for chicken bedding - never had any problems ourselves when we kept chicks - and the advantage was that poo and shredded paper was a super compost activator - much better than poo and sawdust which was a nightmare when wet.

It also goes well in a wormery - keeps them warm in winter.

[cornykev]

Bottom of the R. Bean trench for me, some in the compost but don't over do it.      

[shaun]

some folks who do a runner bean trench put old jumpers and rags in the bottom.

[Celtic Eagle]

Sounds likes a yes to  me idea

Thanks folks

[Dragonfly]

some folks who do a runner bean trench put old jumpers and rags in the bottom.

Personally I wear mine on the allotment Perhaps I will put in a bean trench if I don't keep moving.

What do people think of using shredded PC printer paper, bank statements, etc?  I seem to spend an increasing time these days shredding paper simply to preserve my identity. I was told that they use a bleach to whiten it so it is a bit dodgy.

Dragonfly

[shaun]

i think the bleach would be so diluted i wouldnt worry about it to much ,a bean trench should be done now at the latest fill it with raw kitchen scraps,manure,compost and an old jumper or two  

[Dragonfly]

Shaun

Thanks for that. I shall look forward to the shredding duties with a bit more enthusiasm from now on.

Dragonfly

[FIDDLERJON]

I tend to use  a lot of newspaper in my waste bin in the kitchen (a holding bin for transferral to my bin outside - it stops too much moisture and liquid collecting at the bottom of the bin) and I find that it degrades very well.  I have used partially broken down material from the compost heap -containing card, paper, newspaper, etc, in my raised beds and the soil is greatly improved over the course of a season.  I tend not to worry with a shredder, finding that the compost bin does the work for me.  Good luck with your shreddings!
Jonathan