Wood chip ground cover and trail building

[ODZD]

We recently became acquainted with a local tree company and had a load of wood chips delivered for a small ground cover project out front and had a good bit left over. So we spread them on our walking trails. I’m sure they’ll wash away and turn into dirt in a year or two but looks pretty nice and our son (2 years old) had a blast playing in the wood chip pile and helping me smooth it out.

Still need to source some more rocks to contain the chips out front but that’s what we found around the property so might as well recycle them.

I apologize as I couldn’t figure out how to reduce the size on my phone so here is an Imgur link

https://imgur.com/a/Rf39hRB

 

[Thomas]

Looks nice food for the ground later on.

 

[bcp]

In our wet climate, the chips work fine for mulch, but on trails they turned mushy and unpleasant to walk on, in a few months.

Bruce

 

[ODZD]

In our wet climate, the chips work fine for mulch, but on trails they turned mushy and unpleasant to walk on, in a few months.

Bruce

I’m in PA, hoping they’ll be fine. I’ve seen them a lot at county parks and state parks and they look like they hold up well.. Hopefully they’ll be good, if not, my and the kid had some fun spreading them and they were free.

 

[ericm979]

Big chips from a large commerical chipper last a lot longer than the small chips from the 8" PTO chipper.

 

[ODZD]

Big chips from a large commerical chipper last a lot longer than the small chips from the 8" PTO chipper.

I was going to say, I was actually surprised how large they were. I wouldn’t call them anything similar to shredded mulch. They definitely are more “chips”.

 

[dougtrr2]

Every few years when the power company trims trees I try to snag chips. I put them on my trails and although they can wash out under heavy rains it beats the alternative of the dirt washing away.

Last time I hit the jackpot, I got seven truckloads. Takes a while to spread but it was worth it.

Doug in SW IA

 

[old and tired]

I've been spreading wood chips on my trails for 20 years... it gets old doing it but it looks great afterwards and last for 4 or 5 (???) years. By the end, we are down to dirt usually.

I've spread them pretty thick (4-6") if we get a large pile of them. If it's a smaller load, 2 to 3" thick.

Only thing different, over the years, I usually could spread a pile out in 1.5 days. Now it takes 4 or 5 days to spread it out. Sucks getting old!

 

[ODZD]

I've been spreading wood chips on my trails for 20 years... it gets old doing it but it looks great afterwards and last for 4 or 5 (???) years. By the end, we are down to dirt usually.

I've spread them pretty thick (4-6") if we get a large pile of them. If it's a smaller load, 2 to 3" thick.

Only thing different, over the years, I usually could spread a pile out in 1.5 days. Now it takes 4 or 5 days to spread it out. Sucks getting old!

Good to know! This guy is maybe a mile or two from my house so im hoping to get a few more loads.

Does it help with weed suppression? I have crazy invasive Japanese stilt grass I’d love to choke out. I try to hit it with the box blade to keep it at bay.

 

[RayIN]

Unless treated, it will make the termites happy.

 

[old and tired]

..I have crazy invasive Japanese stilt grass...

Put it on thick enough, it cokes out just about everything. English ivy can still work its way under it.

RoundUp, even at a low dose, does wonders to stilt grass. No need to soak it, a light dusting over the area works great for me.

 

[D&D]

I've been spreading wood chips on my trails for 20 years... it gets old doing it but it looks great afterwards and last for 4 or 5 (???) years. By the end, we are down to dirt usually.

I've spread them pretty thick (4-6") if we get a large pile of them. If it's a smaller load, 2 to 3" thick.

Only thing different, over the years, I usually could spread a pile out in 1.5 days. Now it takes 4 or 5 days to spread it out. Sucks getting old!

If you have or can borrow, a small manure spreader will also spread mulch/chips. I use a top dresser for mine

 

[old and tired]

If you have or can borrow, a small manure spreader will also spread mulch/chips. I use a top dresser for mine

Wheel barrow and pitch forks... lots of loading and dumping... then repeat!!

 

[grsthegreat]

Ive been chipping, shredding and spreading my own chips on the trails for over 20 years. Never had any issues. Keeps grass and weeds at bay. Never sprayed weed killer either.

 

[650gSatoh]

I have been using wood chips for years to cover large areas of my property which had sandy dried out soil. It's done a great job enriching the soil in those areas and we now have more lizards, toads and small snakes not to mention earth worms wherever you dig up.

They do a great job with weeds, if thick enough but as they break down or in thin areas, weeds will return.

Over the last 12 months we have several areas that are flourishing with "stinkhorns" google it...Literally look like cock and balls and smell like rotting flesh supposed to be a sign of a healthy ecosystem and nature running its course... could do with a little less health. In fact we get some crazy looking types of fungus, which is neat and thankfully they don't all smell.

I use them in my pigs yard to keep down the dust and help with mud when it rains.

We also use them in the vegetable garden each year to keep the weeding to a minimum and as it breaks down it turns the soil dark and rich. In areas where we don't use them I put large rings around trees to help with moisture control during the summer.

I also add them to the compost pile with dirt and the pig poop and it supplies the carbon required.

Not a termite in sight. Well, we have termites but they are busy eating the dying trees and logs.