Landscaping Using Wood Chips

When used around plants and trees wood chips do a better job containing moisture than gravel beds.

Landscaping using wood chips.

In general it is best to use wood chips around established plants only and avoid the vegetable bed except to create paths. Problems with using wood chips in a garden as with any kind of landscaping tool or mulch there are some considerations you need to make before deciding to go with wood chips. Since most arborist wood chips are chopped fresh from living or storm damaged trees let the wood chip mulch age and dry out even as long as a season before using it. The leaves provide nitrogen to help break down the carbon in the branches.

The combination of fieldstone and hemlock mulch in landscaping wood chips mulch and natural stepping stones in a pathway landscape modern pathway landscape with black mulch and river rocks mulch and rock patio in a transitional backyard landscape. Keep chips away from stems and trunks and the siding on the house. Arborist wood chips are valuable in an organic garden particularly ramiel wood chips. While they are effective and a great option 99 99 of the time keep in mind that most of the issues in using wood chips are related to improper use.

Use 4 to 6 inches of wood mulch over a nicely broken down organic layer such as leaf litter or compost. Adapting this plan for building garden soil by using a wood mulch such as wood chips sawdust or other woody residues is a strategy that promises huge long term returns. Water the mulch like you would the tree or plant it s surrounding and the odds of fire are slim. Where to get wood chips for garden.

In fact installing wood chips around your plants can reduce watering requirements by as much as 50 percent. If it is kept moist it s unlikely to combust. The chips create a strong mesh bond that helps keep water under the surface. It is important to understand that the leaves are a source of nitrogen and the branches are a source of carbon.

This ratio creates an ideal mulch gardening material when the wood chips have composted. Ramiel chips come from small branches and leaves and are wonderful for building healthy garden soil. Wood chips also regulate soil temperatures bring a natural feel to an area and can serve as path material to prevent muddy or dusty conditions. In fact wood chips are the least flammable organic mulches you could use.