A couple of weeks ago I rang a local tree surgeon and, after our brief chat, he promised to let me know when he had a load of chippings going. Today was that day and I got a call at about half-past eight. By the middle of the morning, I’d moved the pile from the drive and into three large builders bags, as well as having enough left over to complete my long term plan of putting some down on the floor in the polytunnel.

The chippings are very fresh, having come from the top of a birch tree taken down this morning, so they aren’t yet ideal for mulch. However, they will be just fine for primary purpose of putting in some paths down at the allotment (once that shed is erected).