Woodchip Gardens the way forward!

[gensetsteve]

Only watched a bit of the video but I wouldn't recommend adding pure woodchips to soil.

 

One of the keys to good soil is balancing the Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) ratio (C = the bulky structure/humus, N = nutrients and energy), leafy plants and grasses have a C:N ratio of around 30:1 which is roughly what you're looking for. Woody materials such as woodchip and bark have a C:N ratio of around 250:1. Therefor when you add such low nutrient materials to the soil the soil itself has to use up its own energy (in the form of N) to break the chip down, resulting in an immediate loss of nutrients (that some studies have shown can last up to 10yrs before a net gain is achieved).

 

You can add woodchip to soil but it must be first mixed with at least equal parts of high Nitrogen material and be fully broken down first.

 

 

There is a man on the film that goes into this and explains it quite well. I think the idea is the top layer starves the weeds and the layers underneath have rotted down. The garden in the film has been going at least 15 years and some areas 30.

[timbernut]

Erm, probably more likely because farmers are very conservative in their approach. They tend not to experiment - it has a serious impact on their livelihood. Also, it doesn't actually decrease weeding and spraying as if you make the ground more fertile, weeds grow better!

 

 

 

It is a bit tricky to do too - you have to apply at the right time, in the right condition to promote germination of the seeds; drilling is different (yes, he is very good with a rake, but a tractor doesn't quite work the same).

 

 

 

For what it's worth, I am hoping to do something similar, but I am not dependent on the success/failure of the experiment for my livelihood. It's 4.75 acres of grade 2 arable, normally growing a 3yr rotation of winter wheat/winter wheat/rape and I am looking at the options for green manuring between/during crops and I want to add as much chip as I can, but this probably means hand application after the wheat comes through, which means the layer won't be thick. It won't be quite the same - the field will still be ploughed, but over time I hope that the plough depth builds up to a high organic content to improve fertility and yield. I also want to drop the rape and plant something else higher value at this point.

 

 

 

Alec

 

 

Hi Alec, I didn't mean to sound so flippant, I know that many smaller farmers cannot afford to experiment but there is plenty of opportunity for large farms to experiment they're just not interested, it's too big a leap for them. Tractors can have new implements modified/ developed.

 

Anyway good on you for havin a go at it ( I'm doing it on a much smaller scale: 12 50m2 raised beds ). Have you considered using biochar in the soil? It helps dissipate water in heavy clay and holds it in sandier soils ( presume you on heavy clayin Essex?) as well as havin other benefits, john

[Woodworks]

Anyone trying this yet?

 

Our chip is still rotting in a heap at present.

[Starscream]

Just make sure you don't get a load of chip from a tree that's died from honey fungus!!! Spread that around your garden and you won't have much left!!