[compost_tea] Re: wood chips and compost

From: Tom Gibson <camaspermaculture_at_gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 20:35:57 -0000


Stephen,

Wood chips are one of my favorite materials to put in my yard but I
wouldn't say they are great compost as we usually refer to compost as
something that will break down in a few months. Wood chips typically
take about 2 years before the majority of them have started to be a
completely wet or wetable substance that can be mixed with other
materials. Also, very few trees produce wood that is allelopathic and
because wood chips break down so slowly they don't even tie up much
nitrogen in the soil and only at the surface. I have planted through 12"
thick wood chip mulch, gathered from roadside power line maintenence,
with a little extra nitrogen and the plants did fine. Some crops do
better than others in that environment. Brassicas kill fungal life, as
do almost all members of the mustard family, so depending on what stage
of the bed development you are in that might be a factor. We grew huge
canola in wood chip beds.

Tom
--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Steyn" <ssteyn_at_...> wrote:
>
> Chris;
>
> Compost should be made from just about anything you can get for
nothing.
> Wood chips are great because they form a mulch and don't break down
too
> quickly- thereby protecting your tree or shrub's roots from the
greatest
> anti-microbial agent of all - the sun. So, use it to spread over an
> application of compost and you'll get a lot of benefit - especially if
you
> have lots of evaporation. Soon you'll have lots of earthworms, nice
friable
> soil and a happy smile on your face.
>
> Chips are also great in compost, especially as they break down so
slowly.
> Yes, most wood has allelopathy properties, but I wouldn't worry about
it as
> it soon breaks down. As they break down slowly they also tend to
favour
> fungal growth. It's a winner.
>
> SS
>
>
>
> From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com]
On
> Behalf Of sentosa48chris
> Sent: 23 September 2011 23:21
> To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [compost_tea] wood chips and compost
>
>
>
>
>
> I was wondering if anyone can help with information about the kinds of
wood
> chips most and least advantageous to composting. I have read that
certain
> kinds of freshly chipped wood is not good for composting because of
the
> anti-microbial agents that the fresh wood contains, for example pine
and
> walnut.
>
> Does anyone know where I can find a list of the kinds of wood that
need to
> de-gas before composting? Or does anyone have this information
themself?
> Also, how long would pine, etc. need to de-gas for, before being able
to
> compost it? Thanks if anyone can help.
>
> Chris.
>





Received on Sun Sep 25 2011 - 17:21:15 EDT

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