What to do with cut laurel branches?

If you have a chipper that matches the size of your cut branches, chipping is recommended as a priority as you can use the chips as mulch in your beds up to a moderate thickness (3-4cm) to allow for gradual biodegradation in the environment. airy. Mulching with fresh, non-composted material must always be carried out under these conditions in order to avoid the formation of a suffocating zone in contact with the soil, which could favor the formation of potentially toxic degradation products.

You can also compost these trimmings after shredding them. For composting to be successful, it must be carried out with a certain ratio of carbon to nitrogen of the mixed materials. Since your shredded material is mostly wood and therefore rich in carbon, it needs to be rebalanced by incorporating waste that can provide nitrogen: leaves, young shoots, grass clippings, plant residues from meals.

Burning prohibited

Conversely, if you already make compost from cuttings and kitchen waste, your ground bay leaf is particularly useful because, due to the size of the chips, it has an aerating and structuring effect and thus brings the carbon mixture back into balance.

On the other hand, burning plants is legally prohibited, particularly by departmental health regulations, and is officially prohibited throughout France. When using as firewood after drying, make sure that the above-ground parts of the laurel contain essential oils.

Finally, you can hand over your branches and twigs for green waste disposal if you don’t know how to deal with them on site.