can I use my home made wood chipping as mulch?

[rosyherb]

I just invested in a wood shredder and pruned a load of bushes back, i intend to chip them and put some in the compost, then I wondered if I could use it as woodchip mulch. I think i read somewhere that you can't use it because it is too acidic, is this only on Veggie plots or gardens in general. or did I dream it. Thanks R

[Clanad]

Usually that OWT (Old Wives Tale) is only applied to conifer derived chips... even then the affect is minimal. Your chips will make a good mulch. There are a few downstrokes, however. If you use them near the walls of your house, they can attract termites. Even this is fairly rare, since termites like to be in dark, moist areas.

One caveat, it's best to just use the chips as a ground cover for moisture retention but not to be worked into the soil. To do so runs the risk of transmitting any virus' or fungal things to the soil. If their just laying on top not much risk is involved... I like to put down a couple of sheets of newpaper under the chips as an aid to retaining moisture, especially around cabbages and other garden plants...
Best of luck!

[kujawski]

no you have to buy ones from a shop at a cost

[woofgang]

I chuck my chippings on the garden, also the nice man who does my heavy garden work recycles chippings from other peoples gardens onto the garden he is working on which saves us all money. He NEVER uses chippings from infected plants. It has improved my heavy clay soil no end over the 10 or so years that we have been doing this. It takes about a year for the chippings to rot down into the soil, so we get it topped up about once a year. Have no comment on veggies as we don't gro them but certainly the garden as a whole is blooming

[rosyherb]

Thanks - I was think more of water retention and weed surppressant, some of the chippings will be conifer, I think I will put paper and chippings on top. Thanks for all your advice, Happy Gardening all

[Whoever]

rosyherb - make sure that you soil is thoroughly moist down to a good depth before you put on your chippings mulch, otherwise your soil will remain too dry and the mulch will prevent light rainfall soaking into the ground.

[rosyherb]

cheers -rosyherb