If you garden , you may often learn that arborist wood chips should not be used asmulch , which actually is not supported by study . Wood chips are one of the full organic mulch for trees and bush , but may not be the best for annuals and vegetables , according to Dr. Linda Chalker - Scott from Washington State University :
In a study comparing 15 unlike organic mulches , woods microprocessor chip were one of the best for holding wet , moderating soil temperatures , check weed , and overall sustainability . Wood chips absorb more water than many other mulches , body of water which both cools the ground and is slowly released to plant life .
Wood chip mulch is economical
Economically wood chips work too , as in most areas they can be obtained destitute from arborist or local recycle center . get them from local informant rather than in bag at chain of mountains stores , trucked in from distant locating , keeps the merchandise out of landfills and supports less fuel neutralise on truckage . They ’re also economical in that being dull to break down , Sir Henry Wood chips will last longer than most other choices , so do n’t necessitate fill again as often .
Wood chips are resistant to compaction and support the soil
Dr. Chalker - Scott direct out that since wood chip contain material of various sizes — bark , wood , and leaves — they are more resistant to compaction than sawdust and bark . This diverse selection of fabric alsosupports a divers selection of territory micro-organism . These , in bout , are more resistant to environmental stresses and create a goodly plant surround .
Do wood chips steal nitrogen from the soil?
One of the main headache , and cause often mention for not using wood chips , is that they will tie up atomic number 7 and make plant to be athirst . When wood chip are used on trees and bush , many cogitation have shown just the opposite . While there is likely a shallow geographical zone near the surface under a layer of Sir Henry Wood chips in which nitrogen is often miss ( organisms use up nitrogen as they better down organic subject ) , the deeper roots of shrubs and trees should have sufficient food in skillful land . This shallow geographical zone under wood chip , lacking in nitrogen , may help scale down weed seed germination . Fewer weedsmeans more nutrient available for your works .
Since this surface zone , lacking nutrient , is the area of the shallow roots ofannualsand many vegetables , Mrs. Henry Wood chips are not best to use for these . Nor would they be good on first year perennials , or those with shallow roots such as yarrow . If concerned about a lack of nitrogen , with shrub and Tree , use a nutrient - rich compost layer on the soil before give wood chips . This “ mulch sandwich ” is similar to what one finds in a woodland ecosystem , and is what the wood chips will form on their own over time .
Some gardeners apply extrafertilizerto the soil surface , particularly nitrogen - rich ones , prior to apply wood chips . For organic N sources , you could use blood repast ( 12 percent nitrogen),fish meal(9 pct ) , cottonseed meal ( 6 percentage ) or soya bean repast ( also 6 percentage ) among others . A 5 - 3 - 4 analysis constitutive fertilizer supplies atomic number 7 as well other nutrients .
Does wood chip mulch transmit disease?
Another major concern is whether woodwind fleck will work in disease . If this is a vexation , let them age for a year or two before enforce . The downside to this is that some of the nutritional value will be lost . Studies have shown that Mrs. Henry Wood chips do n’t transmit disease organism to roots of intelligent Tree . In healthy soils , there are more goodfungal diseasesthat out - compete the bad one on roots . In levelheaded plants , decrepit plant diseases ca n’t get found . These are often called “ opportunistic ” diseases , as they take vantage of opportunities for infection , such as bruise of bark and damaged etymon .
While the study mention were done on roots , tree tops were n’t mentioned . Unfortunately , in my own experience , I unwittingly imported some foliage diseases ( needlecast in particular ) on barque spread under susceptible spruce species . Control require more spray than was potential or desirable , so these trees are now mostly dead . Other species not susceptible to this disease are fine . So my lesson con is not to use bark or other wood products like Sir Henry Wood chips from unknown beginning , which may have follow from septic trees , around evergreens that may get folio disease .
Yet , in other country and similar to some growers I know , I ’ve used wood chips on tree diagram and shrubs with no effect on their growth . This constitutive mulch has not sour soils , as is often claimed , nor has it increased pests such as carpenter ants , nor has it killed the plants through leach harmful ( “ allelopathic ” ) chemicals .
More on the use of goods and services of Sir Henry Wood chips , and other horticultural myths based on a review of scientific study , can be observe on theWashington State University internet site .
This clause originally appeared onPerry ’s Perennials .
