Wood chip sock

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Anybody tried this, sound a very interesting idea.

Basically, you fill a plastic mesh tube with wood chip to create borders and raised beds etc.

Wood Chip sock

[nickdub]

Not a big fan of plastic in the garden, if I can find a sensible alternative.

[veggiechicken]

The author of that article posted it here too https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...esh_91548.html

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Not a big fan of plastic in the garden, if I can find a sensible alternative.

That's what i thought, wondering how much plastic leaching into the soils and if it breaks down, there'd be literally millions of plastic fibres, impossible to remove
Also, I wonder if filling the tube is more hassle than its worth

[Nicos]

An interesting idea...but yet again...another no ..because it is plastic.
However...jute bags filled with woodchip??
Planking would probably be cheaper in the long run????

[MyWifesBrassicas]

I actually stumbled across this looking to make logs from wood chips to grow mushrooms, then it occurred to me that I can make borders to my beds (I don't use edging in my borders, using the lazy bed method) and use it to grow mushrooms.
Just don't like the plastic!

[MyWifesBrassicas]

An interesting idea...but yet again...another no ..because it is plastic.
However...jute bags filled with woodchip??
Planking would probably be cheaper in the long run????

Jute bags would be a good idea, although probably work out quite expensive

[veggiechicken]

I use tree branches/logs and move them around to suit. No risk of hoeing through them and no plastic residues. Those netting tubes are just as likely to trap wildlife as any other netting.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

An interesting concept however, you've all confirmed my thoughts on this.

[no_akira]

Just thought id give an update on this idea after using it on my plot the last couple of years.

I did contact a uk jute bag manufacturing company to suggest this product. He liked the idea but didnt know were it would fit in there product portfolio.

I think it could also be made out of wool waste...

Observations after 2 years...

The wood chips after a year have half rotted down and are easy to empty and riddle the contents to use the fine loam on your beds.

They are easy to pull up even after a year and underneath you see young worms, so they act like worm incubators.

Where i think they work best is as crop dividers as they can be trod on instead of the soil or your crops.

Regarding being plastic they are relatively tough and are easily burnt at end of life. Take care though they burn really fiercely... �� ��

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Hi No Akira,

How many "socks" did you fill? Or using on your plot?
How often are you walking on them?
Do they burst?
I like the idea, just don't like the thought of plastic, maybe there's another product that can be used instead of the plastic mesh

[no_akira]

The main reasoning behind this idea is a cheaper and easier way to create semi-raised beds, 4inch of fine riddled soil on top of your forked over soil level. Using a waste wood product as a soil retaining wall rather than a wooded side box. Also pair of sissors and x2 cable ties is the only specialist tool you need.

Also this was an experiment so costs for this specialist plastic mesh tube worked out at about 80p a metre. Ideally it would be great if you could buy a 1.8m roll from poundland (£1 = 56p a metre). Wood chips are free and a barrow full doesn't weigh much.

The box was £24 for 25m and I soon used it up.

My first mesh was 4" wide which was too wide heavy and cumbersome. The 3" bright green mesh was a better fit.

The mesh is strong and importantly doesn't break down, retains its structure and strength and is easy to remove at the end of the growing season.

To start with I was fully enclosing my beds and using it on all the beds that was a mistake. Its main use is for your roots and onions beds on the south facing and west edges of the bed, top and down the right hand side only. Which when combined with a mulch helps to retain the moisture in the bed.

I would say it was a useful "thing" but its hard to convince people who can't see past the "its made of plastic" demonisers and naysayers.

[SarrissUK]

It's an interesting concept! So the plastic is UV stable? I think this could be really quite useful for my second plot, as I have two beds, running the full length of the entire plot, with no walls.

[no_akira]

Yes SarissaUK its UV stable and because of the bright green is easy to spot and avoid when your digging.

It could be useful for the lighter soils of the "No dig" fraternity.

But outside of ordering from specialist plastic packaging companies the product doesn't really exist.

The other problem as well is you need to find a 3" diameter filling tube. Ive used a broken discarded green plastic pipe from the cable laying guys and cut it to 2 - 3 ft length.

[Chestnut]

Thinking sideways....
Why not bypass the shredder, and use the thin branches to make ‘dead hedging’ for your edges?
It roughly involves cutting short stakes out of the thicker branches, and popping them in the ground in 2 parallel rows. Then, use all the thinner (and more pliable) branches to stuff in the gap between the 2 parallel rows.