Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi KG - is it safe to use chipped laurel trees/leaves on paths alongside allotment plots. Concerned about cyanide leaching into plot soil. Many thanks LG

Interesting and valid question given the fact that laurel hedges grow quickly and need to be pruned regularly to prevent them becoming unbearably thick and high. I will go away and Google the issue pending an expert reply.

Done a quick Google. Was interested in one post on a forum whixh said a gardener had planted hundreds of snowdrop bulbs in an area but after planting a laurel hhedge close by, most of the snowdrops had died.
There may have been other reasons for this of course but it does wave a potential red flag in my view about the toxicity of this plant and the danger of cyanide residues leaching from paths to adjacent plots into growing areas. Thi outr bepretty much unavoidable I suspect as rainwater would spread this through the soil.

The main recommendations for disposal appeared to be outting in Council green waste bins rather than putting in compost bins.

The only thing I have heard of is, to avoid shredding lots of prunings in a confined area, (shed or building)!