Are Wood Chips A Good Choice To Be Used As Mulch?

Are Wood Chips A Good Choice To Be Used As Mulch?

The applications of mulch and woodchips in gardening and landscaping are universal. However, when it comes to choosing the right material for a long term ease, you must know the choice that is better for you. Here are some facts that prove how wood chips are not a good choice when it comes to soil protection.

1-Breaking Down

Wood Chips might sound a good choice because of the ease they provide to your pockets but these products do no good to your soils’ health. You might go for synthetic wood chips to retain them for a longer period but eventually they break down. Organic wood chips might do some good to the fertility of your soil upon breaking down, but the synthetic wood chips are not healthy for your soils’ health.

2-Encourages Fungal Growth

Moist soil with excess fertility encourages the growth of fungus over the soil. If you are looking for a healthy, fungus free garden, then the use of wood chips would prevent that from happening. Wood Chips encourage the growth of fungus on the soil. Once the fungus begins to establish over the soil, it shall lead to a decline in the health of the surrounding plants.

3-Compact Layer Over The Soil

Due to its organic nature, the wood chip mulch can easily break down over time. These broken woodchip materials can form a compact layer over the surface of the sil. In most cases, you won’t be able to notice this change due to its presence at the bottom of the mulch. This compact layer becomes more compact over time and begins to compress the soil. This useless layer over the soil can also prevent the water from reaching the roots. The blockage of airflow caused by this compact layer can also become a cause of fungal growth.

4-Termite Problems

If you add wood chips to your soil as a mulch, you shall attract a whole lot of termites. If you are already facing a termite problem then the use of wood chips as a mulch shall be highly discouraged. Wood chips are the exact organic material that termites feed off and you are adding it around your house. If you are already facing a termite problem, this shall worsen the situation.

5-Potential Fire Hazard

Wood chips are really quick when it comes to catching fire. If you are using wood chips as a mulch, you can expect a potential fire hazard. If these chips are placed right over the soil surrounding your house then the danger increases even more. Contact the expert Mulch- rock installation Downriver Michigan service provider to get the best advice for your lawn.