Gardening and agricultural activities produce a significant amount of waste. One of these activities is pruning.
While pruning can be performed on many types of farms, it is the most common in vineyards and orchards to improve the plant’s flowering and fruiting capabilities. Pruning unwanted portions of a plant promotes healthy growth and bountiful yield by diverting a part of that plant’s energy to another (and, more importantly, healthier) part, such as a budding flower or a growing fruit.
While clipping away unwanted leaves, twigs, and branches promotes great-looking and healthy plants, it otherwise leaves piles of waste. When it comes to their disposal, the first thing people can think of is burning them.
But there is a better, safer, and more environmentally friendly way of dealing with piles of plant trimmings. Shredding is the most viable option to render these agricultural wastes useful by turning them into organic fertilizers. Using mechanical shredders speeds up the disposal process by grinding these wastes. Once finely ground, the wastes are used as mulch to enrich or insulate the soil or mixed with grass, leaves, and logs, producing a light compost improving the soil.
Advantages of shredding
Here are the following reasons why you should shred agricultural wastes instead of burning them:
- Unlike burning, shredding does not cause adverse health and environmental impacts.
- Shredding agricultural and gardening waste produces quicker and much better mulch and compost.
- Fine shredding helps in increasing the surface area of organic matter that microorganisms turn into humus.
- Applying finely shredded waste between plant rows can be an effective and essential measure in suppressing weeds.
- A mechanical shredder saves you from numerous trips to the local refuse facility.
- Mulch from shredded plant trimmings can regulate the temperature and moisture in the soil. It is always best to allow your mulch to age for a while before applying it to your plants.
With all the advantages considered, shredding plant trimmings and turning them into something beneficial is a much better alternative to burning them as a means of clearing them away.
Mechanical shredders from Falc
Falc is a well-known Italian company that manufactures and supplies agricultural equipment not only to its native country but also to many parts of the world, including the USA. The company offers mechanical shredders of various iterations. Here are some of them:
1) Falc Leon
Falc’s Leon shredder is used to chop prunings, trimmings, grass, and vegetable residuals, in general. It is a versatile shredder for orchards and vineyards.
It comes in two types:
- Type 1 – With the rear roller and unloading of chopped material behind the roller.
- Type 2 – With the rear roller and rake’s bar.
Other specifications:
- It has a high-front “mouth” to facilitate the entry of debris to be chopped.
- Hydraulic offset: 400 millimeters (for Leon 1200 and 1400); 600 mm (for Leon 1600, 1800, 2100, and 2300).
- Bolted counterblade.
- Type 2: Facility for the assembling of hydraulic inter-row cutting disc and hydraulic inter-row wire chopper.
- Bolted wear-and-tear sheet (optional).
- For 50 to 120 hp tractors.
2) Falc Top 2700
It is an extremely strong machine, built specifically to help farmers and growers comply with burn restrictions. This heavily built machine provides an economical and environmentally friendly way to clear away heavy prunings.
Its extra heavy-duty construction enables it to deal with the demands of heavy orchard prunings.
Other specifications:
- It reduces branches up to 3” in diameter to fine cuttings.
- 2110 RPM rotor propels Falc’s heavy durafaced hammers to 250 feet per second at tips
- Automatic belt sensor system
- Front or rear mount
- Rear roller and front support standard
- Minimum weight: 1,800 kgs.
- PTO: 1000
- Three counter blades
- Tractor power: 110 to 160 hp
3) Falc Master 1800 Shredder
The Falc Master 1800 Shredder is a professional lateral shredder used for chopping and grinding grass, bushes, and brambles in orchards, citrus groves, olive groves, and roadside maintenance. This machine is made with heavy-duty construction to meet the demands of orchard and vineyard prunings.
Other specifications:
- Minimum weight: 3,500 kgs.
- Working width: 1.77 meters
- Transport width: 1.93 meters
- Number of flails: 18
- PTO: 540
- Tractor power: 80 to 120 hp
4) Falc 3200 Shredder
This top-of-the-line shredder is a hefty and very powerful machine, recommended for the shredding of grass, prunings, clippings, and other farming residues up to a diameter of 7 to 8 centimeters (about 3.15 in). It can be used with tractors up to 160 hp.
The Falc 3200 features an extra-heavy-duty construction to deal with the unique demands of heavy vineyard and orchard prunings. It is specifically built to help farmers and growers comply with burn restrictions. This machine provides an economical and environmentally safe way to clear heavy trimmings and prunings.
Other specifications:
- It reduces branches of up to 3 inches in diameter to fine cuttings
- Minimum weight: 2020 kg. (3,968 lbs.)
- PTO: 1000
- 2110 rpm rotor propels Falc’s heavy surfaced hammers to 250 feet per second at tips.
- Cardan shaft, yoke 1 3/8” Z=21
- Automatic belts tightener
- Three counter blades
- Front and lateral guides
- Wear-and-tear sheet
- Rear roller and front support standard
- It can be linked with tractors up to 110 to 160 hp
5) Vertical shredder for pineapple plants
Another offering from Falc, this semi-mounted shredder is ideal for pineapple growers. This machine reduces pineapple plants to small lengths without crushing and compacting them into the soil. It features two pairs of vertical rotors mounted so that the pineapple plants contact the blades without crushing them into the soil, which is the case with horizontal shredders.
Each rotor features straight-jointed blades mounted on proper supports. The rotors are inclined so that the lower rotor cuts to the pineapple plant’s collar as closely as possible. Each of this machine’s rotors is run by a system of belts and pulleys, which are powered by the tractor’s PTO. The position of the shredder vis-a-vis the ground can be adapted with hydraulic cylinders that work on the supporting wheels.
Solex Corporation markets and distributes shredders and other agricultural equipment from Falc, as well as other well-known global manufacturers. Whether you are a dealer or an end user looking for quality farming equipment, we are always ready to assist you. For inquiries, contact our sales representative at 707-678-5533 or email sales@solexcorp.com.