Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Florablunder on March 02, 2018, 19:33

Title: Thorny problem
Post by: Florablunder on March 02, 2018, 19:33

I recently added several rose bushes to the front garden and have just given them all a good prune - but now I'm wondering what to do with the prunings as they are all covered in vicious thorns. For now I've left them on the bare soil to keep cats off, but I should get rid of them otherwise I'll end up getting jabbed when weeding. Does anyone have any good tips on disposing of thorny branches?

Title: Re: Thorny problem
Post by: sunshineband on March 02, 2018, 22:25

We burn ours when not needed as a cat or squirrel repellent

Title: Re: Thorny problem
Post by: grinling on March 03, 2018, 19:33

You could break off the thorns, and compost the rest

Title: Re: Thorny problem
Post by: snowdrops on March 03, 2018, 19:51

You could just snip them into as tiny pieces as possible & compost them or burn them as Sunny says

Title: Re: Thorny problem
Post by: Florablunder on March 04, 2018, 18:33

Thanks for the suggestions. Not sure if I'd be able to cut the thorns off (there are 100s of them), but I'll try cutting the stems into smaller sections.  :)

Title: Re: Thorny problem
Post by: LILLILEAF on March 05, 2018, 05:47

Do you have a  green bin off the council for your garden waste?,as long as the piece's are not to long they can take them away.problem no more they will rot down where the council keep their compost heap :D

Title: Re: Thorny problem
Post by: snowdrops on March 05, 2018, 07:00

Quote from: Florablunder on March 04, 2018, 18:33

Thanks for the suggestions. Not sure if I'd be able to cut the thorns off (there are 100s of them), but I'll try cutting the stems into smaller sections.  :)

If you split the stems first that would help. If you’ve just planted lots of rose bushes I assume you are going to have lots of these pruning every year, it might be worth investing in a shredder. I bought an alto one over 20 years ago & it’s still going strong, helps speed up the composting process too.