MULCH

Mulch suppresses weeds, controls erosion, retains soil moisture, moderates soil temperatures, and enriches the soil when it breaks down.

If using fresh wood chips beware, the chances are your shrubs will suffer with Nitrogen deficiency, which in turn can lead to long term stunted growth. The bacteria that break down the wood need nitrogen for the process and if you don’t balance their needs they will take it from the surrounding soil.

Composting the wood chips for a while will make mulch safe to use. As a rule of thumb, softwood one year minimum except in cases of high sap content and two years for hardwood. It is important too that the wood is allowed to compost with an access to humidity.
All fir chips are acidic so bear this in mind when using around your shrubs.

Many of the Island’s woodmen are producing woodchips for garden mulch.
Mulch can also be used for children’s playgrounds. However, any mulch purchased should have been drop-tested by the supplier for insurance purposes.

To find Island suppliers able to offer this product please use the Directory