Build Soil Health with Wood Chips

Soil
Written By Steven Biggs

Ben Raskin, author of The Woodchip Handbook, talks about using wood chips in gardens and agriculture.

Wood chips: They’re abundant, inexpensive, and renewable. There are many possible applications in horticulture.

Uses of Wood Chips

Wood chips have many uses in gardens, farms, and landscapes:

  • Mulch to suppress weeds and conserve moisture

  • Heat for propagation

  • Growing media

  • High-carbon ingredient for composting systems

  • Soil amendments

Ben Raskin’s new book is The Wood Chip Handbook.

He sees a lot of untapped opportunity for wood chips in horticulture. He uses wood chips at the agroforestry farm he manages. And through his work as the head of horticulture and agroforestry at the Soil Association, talks to growers and researchers working with wood chips.

 

If this episode piqued your interest in wood chips, tune in to the October 2021 episode entitled, Compost Heater Heats a Hot Tub.

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Steven Biggs

Recognized by Garden Making Magazine as one of the "green gang" of Canadians making a difference in horticulture, Steven Biggs is a horticulturist, former college instructor, and award-winning broadcaster and author. His passion is helping home gardeners grow food in creative and attractive ways.


He’s the author of eight gardening books, including the Canadian bestseller No Guff Vegetable Gardening. His articles have appeared in Canada’s Local Gardener, Mother Earth News, Fine Gardening, Garden Making, Country Guide, Edible Toronto, and other magazines.


Along with over 30 years working in the horticultural sector and a horticultural-science major at the University of Guelph, Steven’s experience includes hands-on projects in his own garden including wicking beds, driveway strawbale gardens, and a rooftop tomato plantation—to the ongoing amusement of neighbours.


When not in the garden, you might catch him recording his award-winning Food Garden Life podcast or canoeing in Algonquin Park.

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