[willowman]

This autumn my long leylandii hedge is having a haircut.
There will be a large amount of trimmings, which I can shred down.
Can I use the shreddings as mulch on the garden, or can I compost them?
In the past I have used them to make pathways around the veg plot but would like to make more use of them this year.
I ask because someone told me that some conifer (or similar firs) trimmings are not good for the garden.

[compostqueen]

I think they could be used as path covering material once shredded. I think you could add them to the shrubbery as mulch

I use them to light the lotty bonfire, they're incendiary   

[Roll Roll]

As i'm lead to believe the cuttings are very acidic.

[mumofstig]

The men that cut my 2 overgrown conifers down said that they were useless as mulch. He said that they don't rot down properly , but just go dry and sit on the surface. He also said thy were acidic ..so i got him to take them away.

[whippersnapper]

I shreded a load last year and stuck on the compost heap, mixed in with a good variety of other stuff. They rotted down fine. But then my soil is extremely alkaline....

[willowman]

Thanks all.
Looks like I'm going to have good paths round the veg patch.
Maybe I can burn them and then add the ashes to the compost heap? I've been told that wood ash is good on the heap.

[tode]

Wood ash very good for compost, especially f you've got a lot of fresh green stuff, like lawn mowins: helps stop it going acidic.  They should be used as soon as poss after fire: if it rains on them a lot of the potassium get leached out.