If I put a tree in a wood chipper, can i use the chipped wood in my garden?

stanlam

I have a tree that needs to be chopped down. I was thinking about asking the tree trimmer to put the who tree in a wood chipper. Does anybody know if I can use these wood chips in my garden on top of the soil. I figure it should look decent. One concern is will it cause a termite problem?

chrisn

It will be fine ,but if green, could possibly leach nitrogen from the soil, so for decoration or walk way it will be fine, for adding to the soil in a garden, not so good.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

GardenConcepts

You can use wood chips as mulch without having to worry about nitrogen being removed from the soil. If you were to mix the wood chips into the soil you would get a little bit of nitrogen loss from the soil as the wood chips decompose. The whole idea of wood chips being a nitrogen-robbing problem for your garden is a myth.

__________________
Chris

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Know It ALL

What type of tree do you plan on chipping?
My Grandfather many years ago used chips from grinding a pine stump and the turpentine was volatile. Not good results and it took a few years for the soil to recover.

downunder

On top of the soil, yes.
In the soil, not such a good idea as already mentioned.
Termites- It could, depending on your area and where you plan to use them relative to the house. In other works, if you use them a good ways from the house, it could draw them there away from the house. Or it could draw them into your yard from the neighbors. This could be similar to using Japanese beetle traps.

FYI-
Most chips from a tree crew chipper are coarse and irregular. They won't look good in a flower bed but if you wanted to use them in a vegetable garden and till them in at the end of the year probably so. Or if you use them around shrubs at the rear of the yard.

__________________
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. If you wouldn't put your name on it, it ain't done right!

stanlam

thanks for your opinions. It turns out the least expensive tree trimmer I can find doesn't own a wood chipper anyway. With the mixed opinions, I think I will just hire the him.