Can I put cardboard through my chipper shredder?

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), November 26, 2001

Answers

yes,, but why ??

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), November 26, 2001.

I have access to quite a bit of cardboard, cow poo, and miscellaneous other mulchable products. Hate to see the cardboard go to waste.

When I drive to Austin, I go by one of the 'recycling' facilities, and I am NOT impressed with what I see happening to paper and cardboard. If I can recycle it myself, at least it isn't blowing over half the county.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), November 26, 2001.

cardboard breaks down easiy enough without a shredder

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), November 26, 2001.

I have been corresponding with another composter and he was telling me about how he had composted entire sheets of cardboard simply by racking them up (so rain and water could get down inside the corrugation) in a bin, and pouring water over it. Adding a nitrogen source, such as diluted manure and pouring that over it makes it go faster. Worms apparently love cardboard and will move in quickly to consume it, even in big sheets, altho shredding it up would make it easier on their little mouthparts, one would think.

I think it basically depends on your shredder as to how well it could handle it. String-cutter shredders probably don't have enough oomph to do the job, or you may have to cut the cardboard into long strips to feed in, but even that may jam up some shredders from reports I have read. Guess it's another case of doing an experiment and seeing how it goes.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), November 26, 2001.

I often mix newspaper with the oak leaves which I run through my flail-type shredder and get a lighter, faster composting mix than I get when I use either material by itself. I'm sure that cardboard would work, but I haven't tried it because the newsprint is so easy to use.

-- john james (jjames@n-jcenter.com), November 26, 2001.

throw it on the ground where unwanted gras is and throw some mulch over the top of it and make some new flower beds for next spring...

-- Laura (lauramleek@yahoo.com), November 27, 2001.

There is a new product on the market to replace shavings it is recycled cardboard. Supposed to be no dust and composts in 2 weeks.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), November 27, 2001.