Subject: Re: Wood chips in compost pile?
From: "Leo Smit" <lspn@sprint.ca>
Organization: Sprint Canada Inc.
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 22:42:21 -0300
Message-ID: <MOD$980417.27906@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$980405.9885@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$980409.20817@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$980411.10221@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
Not having veggie or annual beds, I find the addition of wood chips to
the compost heap to be very useful as it results in a compost of varying
particle size which contributes to soil structure and fertility for
several years, which serves perennial and shrub plantings quite well
("slow release compost"??). Proportion? up to about 20% by volume at
time of adding. It does slow the composting a bit, but I am never in a
hurry to rush the process and am quite happy to give it a year.
As to wood chips depleteing nitrogen, I have a wonderful crop of various
volunteers in my wood-chipped paths (once the chips are sufficiently
trod into the dirt)...
--
Leo Smit, Mt Uniacke, Nova Scotia, Canada;
USDA Zone 5, sort-of
ntbandit wrote in message ...
>
>gooday, i wrote a response and now it dissapeared, too much to write
again
>only that i use wood chip exclusively on my gardens.
>KMcnair5 wrote in message ...
>>>I have a huge pile of old (and soon new one will be added) wood
>trimmings.
>>>I kept them to use as kindling wood, but here is too many, a lot of
them
>>>are from willows. I have now the option to chip them.<> Could I
put the chips in the
>>>compost pile? And if yes, do they serve as brown material? Do they
slow
>>>down the composting process?
>>The wood chips(brown)can be added to your compost. As far as your
composting
>>process being slowed down, that answer depends on the amount of wood
chips, the
>>size of the chips and the brown to green ratio of your compost. The
wood
>chips
>>will help retain moisture and could then speed up your process. A good
rule is
>>to keep the chips small.