They provide insulation to valuable plants through winter.
Large wood chips for garden.
They are a natural effective form of weed control.
To gather the heat that is given off by decomposition a hose is coiled through a large heap.
However when used in a backyard the wood chip layer is generally thin and watered regularly reducing the fire risk.
They create quality soil amendments over time.
This results in the production of acids and other compounds that can volatilize when the mulch is placed in beds especially during hot weather.
Keep chips away from stems and trunks and the siding on the house.
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Smaller wood chips are great as the carbon element in the heap added in equal quantities with nitrogen rich materials.
So if you are on a tighter budget and need low maintenance landscaping for large yards you might want to consider gravel wood chips or bark.
Wood chips can be a great start in a situation like this where you need a lot of organic matter to get started and where you can allow them to break down for at least one year longer if you can manage.
It is important to understand that the leaves are a source of nitrogen and the branches are a source of carbon.
When wood chips go bad the problem sometimes referred to as sour mulch or toxic mulch occurs when mulch is left in large piles and undergoes anaerobic conditions.
In general it is best to use wood chips around established plants only and avoid the vegetable bed except to create paths.
In most cases this will be the lowest cost option on this list.
Wood chips in a garden are an essential and often underrated tool.
Larger wood chips can also be used to cover the heap as an alternative to straw to help retain the heat that is given off.
As with everything you bring on your property there are risks in the unknown.
Back to eden gardening uses wood chips that are 90 needles leaves and branches that have been chipped from tree trimming waste.
Large piles of wood chips several feet deep have been known to catch fire.
Use 4 to 6 inches of wood mulch over a nicely broken down organic layer such as leaf litter or compost.