woodchips bad for plants? fertilizer?

Question

Is placing wood chips at the base of my plants, fowers, fruit trees, to prevent grass from growing, bad for the them? does it interfere with the roots? any homemade ideas on fertilizer to help produce more blooms throughout the year, and bigger fruit?? thanks for the help. (i have plum, apple, and cherry trees.)

Answer 1

" In landscape operations wood chips offer a useful method for disposing of waste twigs and branches. It is good mulch, coarser than sawdust and less likely to cause nitrogen deficiency. Wood chips are long-lasting, lie flat, and do not blow away easily in strong winds. Cypress chips do not decompose within our lifetime and disrupt water movement in soil into which they have been incorporated so DO NOT TILL CYPRESS CHIPS INTO THE SOIL!! Instead, rake or pull cypress mulch off beds before tilling and re-apply again after planting." (1)

Since woodchips and bushchip decay slowly, & can deplete garden soils of nitrogen (you'll need to add some nitrogen-rich fertiliser or compost, or plant some legumes ). It's best to allow the woodchips to begin the decaying process before you apply it as a mulch.

"Pinebark, pinechip and pineflake also decay very slowly, are low in nutrients but are useful around conifers. When using pinebark it is best to leave it to age for several months or by partly decomposing it in compost. This is because pinebark contains toxins which inhibit the growth of plants for a short period after the bark is first applied. They're not recommended for use near native plants, though, and can also cause loss of nitrogen (add a little organic fertiliser)." (2)

Placing "aged" wood chips, Leaf mulch, composted coarse shredded mulch & other coarse organic material around the base of trees & plants can increase root and tree health. It conserves moisture, stabilizes soil temperature, & reduces competition from grass & weeds. Mulch should extend several feet from the trunk (wider is better), should be 3 to 4 inches deep, and should be renewed as it breaks down. Keep mulch a couple of inches away from the base of the trunk to avoid root or trunk decay. (3)

Answer 2

I would consider landscaping pebbles
wood chips will attract bugs
also depending what the chips are, they may be acidic