Composting evergreen cuttings

[Stephen]

On the north side of my little garden, on the neighbour's side of the wall are several leylandii. They form a solid barrier.
Horrible things but over hanging my garden rather than in my garden.

I'm cutting them back on my side (as severely as possible).

I'm stripping the green material off. This is fairly easily done by running your gloved hand along the smallest twigs.

I have created a heap of only this material because I think ot will rot down slowly compared to the kitchen waste in my usual compost heap. It would overwhelm the usual heap for volume.

Is this the optimum strategy?

[sally wright]

Dear Stephen,
leylandii is pretty much useless as a compost ingredient. It takes a long time to decompose and when it does releases compounds which act as a very good germination and growth inhibitor to most other plants. Bag it up for now and take it to the tip or green bin it when you can.
Regards Sally Wright.

[Stephen]

Thanks Sally.
It is gastly stuff, isn't it?
Your comments explain why nothing grows under or around them.

[peter]

Great for a path.

[Stephen]

[Stephen]

Finished the job. I was doing it bit by bit and not every day, chopping some off, then reducing it to manageable chunks.

I didn't want a HUGE pile of branches over the garden.

My chipper is at my gardening volunteer work, so inaccessible.

The good news is that because I cut back well beyond yhe the green bits, it takes years to come back. Sadly it does grow back in the end.

[peter]

Never seen it grow back from brown.
Seen a few people who were disappointed and surprised to have a row of dead sticks after an enthusiastic hedge cut back.