As you know, there are many, many types of mulch on the market today (in fact, we have lots of them!). Sometimes it is difficult to know what type of mulch is best suited to your needs.
Today, we are looking at Hardwood Chip mulch, and some of the many benefits of using it on your garden.
Hardwood Chip mulch is a long-lasting, decorative mulch product with approximately 2.5cm sized particles. This mix contains no fines (fines are small particles that usually have a ‘soil like’ texture), and this means it will generally last longer than traditional mulches. Unlike some pine chip mulches, it will preserve its earthy tones, rather than turning black over time.
This mulch is largely comprised of hardwood, rather than soft pine making it a safer choice for those who are concerned about termites.
It is a champion when it comes to moisture retention. By covering the soil with 5cm of mulch, moisture evaporation from the soil is significantly slowed. Hardwood chips block the sun and help keep the soil cool, and weeds have a hard time emerging from beneath a cover of hardwood chips
If trees are a dominant feature of your garden landscape, hardwood chips represent one of the best mulch choices for trees and shrubs. The chemical and physical diversity of these materials resists the tendency towards the compaction often seen in sawdust and bark.
Hardwood chips supply nutrients slowly to the soil system, and at the same time they absorb significant amounts of water that is slowly released back to the soil. It’s hardly a surprise that wood chips have been cited as superior mulches for enhanced plant productivity. Hardwood chips have been especially effective in helping establish trees and native plants in urban and disturbed environments. Wood chips also provide incredible weed control in ornamental landscapes.
So you can see there are plenty of compelling reasons to consider it for your garden.
