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Wood chip in raised beds?

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  • 11-06-2011 11:14pm
    #1
    ger vallely
    Registered Users Posts: 766 ✭✭✭


    A question....Advice would be greatly appreciated. We are building 3 riased beds around stump remains of a line of chopped Leylandii trees. (We didn't plant them, original owners did! And stump removal is far too expensive.)Plan is to line the beds, put in a layer, a foot deep of wood chip (shredded from trees), top soil and then veg in 2 beds and flowers in one. Will this work? Surely the chip would have some valuable nutrients worth using and would assist the growing process? Or is this a totally ridiculous idea and we should just use the chip as moisture and retainer and weed repellent? Any input would be very much appreciated, thanks in advance.


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    #2
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,218 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    ger vallely wrote: »
    A question....Advice would be greatly appreciated. We are building 3 riased beds around stump remains of a line of chopped Leylandii trees. (We didn't plant them, original owners did! And stump removal is far too expensive.)Plan is to line the beds, put in a layer, a foot deep of wood chip (shredded from trees), top soil and then veg in 2 beds and flowers in one. Will this work? Surely the chip would have some valuable nutrients worth using and would assist the growing process? Or is this a totally ridiculous idea and we should just use the chip as moisture and retainer and weed repellent? Any input would be very much appreciated, thanks in advance.

    There is no nutritional value in chipped Leylandii until it is well rotted. There is more nutrition from rotted branch wood than wood from the trunk.
    The wood chip will make an excellent mulch. I would recommend that you only put in a 3-4" thick mulch. A 12" thick layer wouldn't allow plants to 'breathe'.
    If you have the space, you should compost the rest and dress the beds with it as it rots down.


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    #3
    ger vallely
    Registered Users Posts: 766 ✭✭✭ger vallely


    Thanks for that slowburner, appreciate the advice.


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