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.