The Truth About Wood Chips in Your Garden

Wood chips are a popular choice for gardeners and farmers as they have many benefits, including weed suppression, moisture retention, root cooling, erosion prevention, and soil nutrient provision. However, many people are concerned about using wood chips in their garden due to various reasons, such as termites, pests, fire hazard, and nitrogen locking in the soil. In this blog, we will explore the truth behind these concerns and provide some tips on using wood chips effectively in your garden.

Using Fresh Wood Chips versus Aged Wood Chips

Fresh wood chips are a better choice than aged or decomposed wood chips. This is because aged wood chips can harbor pests such as earwigs, pill bugs, and word lice. While earthworms are beneficial, excessive populations of other pests can cause problems for your plants and trees. Fresh wood chips, on the other hand, do not have these issues. It is also important to note that termites are not attracted to wood chips, and using them in your garden will not increase the chances of a termite infestation.

Source of Wood Chips

It is crucial to ensure that the wood chips you use in your garden do not contain any treated or modified wood, painted wood, or nails. You can get free wood chips from your local arborists, but be careful about where they come from and what is included in them.

Fungus Problems

Aged wood chips can cause fungal problems in your trees, such as leaf spotting and infections. This issue can be mitigated by using copper spray, but it is better to avoid the problem altogether by using fresh wood chips or sourcing your wood chips from a trusted source.

Nitrogen Stealing

While it is true that wood chips can lock up nitrogen in the soil, this issue only arises when you mix the wood chips directly into the soil. Using wood chips as a mulch around your plants and trees will only cause a slight nitrogen depletion in the top inch of your soil, which is not detrimental to your plants. Just make sure to keep the wood chips about 2-3 inches away from the trunk of your trees to prevent crown rot and disease.

Fire Hazard

Contrary to popular belief, using wood chips in your garden does not pose a fire hazard. This is because wood chips need to be moist to decompose, and keeping them moist also prevents any fire from occurring.

In Conclusion

Using wood chips in your garden can be highly beneficial as long as you use them correctly. Always use fresh wood chips, source them from a trusted source, keep them away from the trunk of your trees, and use them as a mulch rather than mixing them into the soil. By following these tips, you can enjoy the benefits of wood chips without any of the associated concerns.