[jeannie]

….I had 2 small Ash trees and 1 large Holly tree lopped and beaches shredded … when can I use it as a mulch….any advice gratefully received.  Also which secateurs are the best …. your experiences would be welcome of a good buy (and also what to avoid).  I am looking for good solid workhorse secateurs.

All opinions and advice will be very welcome.

Jeannie

[New shoot]

Freshly shredded wood needs to be stacked for 6 months at least.  It needs to break down and compost a bit.  If you spread it as a mulch, the same process will happen, but it will rob the soil of nitrogen while it does so. 

I have Felco no 6 secateurs and they are my trusted garden companions.  Expensive to purchase but mine are now 12 years old, have been refurbished with new blades and springs several times and are still going strong.  This includes 10 years or so working in garden centres where they got used daily.  The no 6 model is smaller than the standard size ones, so fits my hand perfectly.  Find a garden centre that sells them and try all the models to see what suits you best 

[jeannie]

Thank you for advice.  I will leave the shredded branches until next spring.  And will now go hunting for Felco secateurs

PS. If  I put some of this shredded matter on certain areas which I am slowly clearing would that help to kill the
weeds?