Wood Chippings

[RogerL]

I'm fairly new here and this is my first post.

The local council in Southampton provide wood chips free of charge to allotment sites, I'm not sure if local authorities do this all over the country, but they do here.

My question is as well as using the chips for path making, is it suitable for use as a mulch around trees and fruits bushes (raspberry, gooseberry etc.).

In looking at various magazines and website some say yes and others warn of residues in the wood leaching into the soil.

Comments and thoughts welcome.


Roger.

[Snadger]

If I could get some I would have no problems with using wood chips as a mulch around fruit trees. Some say you have to use composted chips, because of it's nitrogen robbing qualities from the soil, but to be honest fruit trees don't require a lot of Nitro anyway.
After a year or two it makes a wonderful soil conditioner as well improving the structure of the soil tremendously.

[shirlthegirl43]

Just wanted to say hi and welcome to the vine.

[Nicos]

Hello and welcome to the Vine RogerL!!!
I've never used chippings, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that you need to use deciduous tree chippings ( and not acidic pine) .
Maybe someone else can expand??
If all the other plotholders have been using it for years, then I'd be directed by them!
Lucky you!!!

[MURFE 18]

Hi, Roger l and welcome to the vine i use wood chip on my paths also as a mulch along with others on our lottie, no problems so far good luck.

[nick the grief]

If you stick them in your old compost bags & mix in some High nitrogen fertiliser ( suphate of ammonia for instance) they will rot down in 12 months no probs but don't stick your hand in there during this time they really do get hot and you can burn yourself.

One thing to watch with them raw is they could encourage Honey fungus & that will spread to the existing trees if it gets a chance.

[taterman]

hi roger
regarding your possible use of wood chippings as a mulch for your soft fruit,i have used these for one season and have noticed nothing untoward to the quality of the fruit (raspberries&gooseberries) and will shortly be mullching them again
regards taterman

[RogerL]

Wood Chips

A quick thank you for the 'welcomes' and the advice


Roger

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi RogeL and welcome to the vine! Wish our council did freebies - unfortunately no! We can buy bags of compost from local waste for £2.50 a sack, so thats better than nothing. When I asked about bark chippings I think the chap thought I was talking in a strange language!
Bernie aka Dexterdog

[Two_Sheds]

We get free deliveries of bark shreddings/chips and free grass clippings (not from council). We just chat up the local workmen and they're happy to drop the stuff off.
I use bark for my paths, its wonderful to walk on, dry, smells nice. It does sprout a few fungi in the autumn, but that's all good too, something different to look at!

[SimonCole]

I had a load of it over one of my herbaceous boarders for 3 years and to be honest, the plants really didn't like it. I removed over the winter and the difference to plant growth is quite pronounced. I have a rose that for the first time has sprung into life and most of the plants are bushing out more.