Gould’s Tree Service, based in Rogers, Minnesota, assists clients with tree maintenance and removal needs. Recently, Gould’s Tree Service began providing free wood chips to the local community; these are a natural byproduct of tree-trimming that can be used for ecologically-friendly garden maintenance.
Typically, wood chips are ground up with mulch and bark and are spread on the ground for both aesthetic appeal and to protect the garden. Among a number of its benefits, wood chip mulch allows soil to retain moisture. For those living in especially hot and dry climates, adding wood chips to mulch can prevent the excessive loss of moisture in the soil due to evaporation. They can also prevent soil erosion; wood chip mulch can be a defensive layer that locks into the soil underneath, and during heavy rains or wind, this layer is a natural way to maintain the stability of the soil.
Wood chips from certain trees also repel pests. Pine and cedar wood chips can help reduce flea, gnat, and tick populations in the garden. If a homeowner is concerned about termites being attracted to the wood in a house, placing cedar mulch six inches away from the building foundation can help prevent an infestation. Gardeners also use wood chips to slow down the growth of weeds. Applying a two-to-four-inch-thick layer of wood chip mulch to the ground prevents weed growth simply by impeding unwanted plants from getting sunlight; thus, weeds are deterred from sprouting up by the mulch.
Finally, wood chip mulch can be used in temperature regulation. The added layer protects the soil from the sun while retaining moisture. In the winter, it protects the ground from the harsh cold by providing an extra layer of insulation.
