For invasive blackberry removal, chipping is listed as an option for the canes. Can you chip newly removed canes (green) with a 6" wood chipper or do they need to be dead and dry first? It has been noted that canes can wrap around the chipper and not get chipped. What percentage can I expect this to happen for green canes? Any information on chipping blackberry canes like techniques that make it easier etc would be appreciated as I have not tried this method yet and would like too for a fairly large amount of removed canes.
I find that straight branches work best in my chipper/shredder. It does not cope too well with things like brambles or ivy. There are a few issues: (1) vines do not go into the hopper easily, you have to keep pushing them in (2) they are fibrous so have a tendency to wrap around the blade and (3) they are moist so the exit chute gets plugged up. In fairness: the instruction booklet does say to only feed the machine dry material, but it does do fine on fresh branches that have a mixture of wood and green leaves. I cleared a large patch of brambles last summer. I cut the vines into 6 inch lengths and left them on top of the soil to die. They have turned brown already and are breaking up. I put the roots and root balls into the yard trimmings bin that the city picks up. I was a little leery about putting them into my compost in case they took root there.
