Wood chip is a useful material in the garden. And after spending quite a lot of time this weekend shredding pruned branches etc. and spreading some to refresh some paths around our property, I thought I’d share this link to an article a wrote just over a year ago about how to use this in your garden.
We had quite a lot of material to shred this time, so I have more ready and waiting for jobs later in the season as well as newly refreshed layers on paths through the forest garden and to the polytunnel.
The way I use the chipped wood on the pathways means that it composts in place, and adds fertility as well as just stopping the access from getting muddy in wet weather.
Our shredder is an electric one, and since our electricity is 100% from renewable sources, this is a sustainable way to make the most of the biomass in our garden and return nutrients to the system.
Buying in wood chip is not always the most sustainable choice. But when you can chip wood on your own property it can be a great way to shortcut nature’s cycles and make the most of all the natural resources at your disposal.
Taking a no dig approach to protect garden soil often leaves people wondering where they will source the materials required. Often, your garden will already provide more organic material than you might think. Looking at the potential to shred pruned woody material is one more way to return nutrients to your garden. Along with grass clippings, chopped and dropped materials, and autumn leaves, wood chip can be a great natural resource for your garden.
EWSP Consultancy 
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