Wood Chips – Using

Q: I want to know what to do with the chips that are left after a stump is ground up. Can I put them on my flower or vegetable garden? Can they be mixed with the dirt or should they only be used on top of the ground?

A: I think it is best to rake up as many of the chips as you can and use them as mulch under shrubs in your landscape. You don’t have to be obsessive about getting them all, just try to get most of the chips. I foresee no harm in using them as mulch under flowers or vegetables either.

You could even dig them into the soil of your garden if you occasionally add extra fertilizer to feed the fungi that break down the chips. Without the added nitrogen, your plants will not get all of the nutrients they need. How much extra fertilizer to add? My guess is that increasing your normal fertilizer application by twenty five percent should satisfy everyone’s needs in your garden.