Lots of questions about wood chip

We've got a great big strong Makita chipper and lots of brash from last year's coppicing.

So - logical conclusion is to chip the brash...... but what do we do with the chippings after that?

Do I put them on the compost heap? or should they have their own heap? What do I use them for once they have rotted down? How long does it take to rot down?

Should I mix them with other stuff (compost? topsoil?)

Any suggestions gratefully received

Thanks

Susanna

 

Hi Susanna,

Great question!

Ideally woodchips should be kept in a pile by themselves for a good six months before using, preferably leaving them for a year. There are a few reasons why it is best to leave wood chips for a while to rot down:

Certain tree species have high levels of toxins such as conifer and yew that may lead to damaging the root systems of young plants if used straight away on your beds. Leaving the chippings alone lessens the amount of toxins in the final product. Also, if there are any spikes, spines, seeds or thorns in the woodchips then leaving them for 6 - 12 mobths will help to get rid of them too.

Secondly, as the woodchips rot the microorganisms that decay absorb nitrogen from the soil. The more microorganisms in the soil/compsot/woodchip mix then the more nitrogen will be absorbed. The more nitrogen absorbed the less there is for the plants. The amount of nitrogen absorbed by microorganisms can be quite high, although as soon as they get to work and the woodchip starts to rot then this nitrogen level will be put back into the soil.

Just remember that if you do leave the woodchips in a pile regularly turn it so it rots down equally. Also, the inside of a woodchip pile can reach scorching heat so don't go sticking your hands in it or let kids play on it.

As for uses; well, once they're well-rotted they can be used as a mulch spread liberally on your flowerbeds, or mixed into soil in order to add organic nutrients. If you have heavy clay soil woodchips can help aid drainage.

Hope this helps,
Matthew

 

Thanks Matthew for your very clear answer. I know what to do now. I have to say I'm not much of a gardner and wouldn't know much about mulching flower beds but we do have a lovely garden and we are learning all the time. The soil here is quite heavy so I would see us digging the chips into the soil in time.

Thanks

Susanna

 

We produce about 5 or 6 large (75 litre) bags of chippings every autumn from shrubs and trees we've hacked back. During the following year we add the chippings in thin layers to the green stuff in our two-year cycle compost heap and smaller quantities to a couple of worm bins. The 'brown' chippings (high carbon) help balance the 'greens' grass and veg (high nitrogen).