Replies

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 02, 2006 03:00am | #1

   Wood shavings, depending on the species, can increase the acidity of the soil. Oak is particularly high in tannic acid. This can be bad for many desired plants. If the wood chips are composted, it lessens the effect and acid content. Ashes from wood are better for the soil but only when the mixture is correct, as in most cases.

   Probably better to go to the gardening forum for more specific info, I think.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
1. 
   TTF | Jan 02, 2006 06:26am | #3

   I put them on the rodies, azalias, blue berries - all acid loving plants.

    

2. 
   Malcolm | Jan 02, 2006 04:00am | #2

   I just dumped some in my worm farm! Better go check the worms. Mostly macrocarpa (aka Monterray Cyprus, a SoCal native and very popular as a hedegrow tree in NZ).

   Malcolm

   http://www.macpherson.co.nz
3. 
   Midnight | Jan 02, 2006 06:29am | #4

   Its always best to compost shavings first... uncomposted, they'll absorb a bunch of nitrogen from the soil... Whatever you do, don't add walnut shavings to the soil... They release a natural herbiside that'll kill anything trying to grow near them...

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   Bodgerman | Jan 02, 2006 04:56pm | #5

    

   Thanks everybody........I have my rose bushes covered and I threw shavings on top of them....and yes, I think there is some walnut in there.  Better get out and remove them.......We'll see this spring if the roses survive.......Thanks again.  And Happy New Year to all.  Peace!

    

    

    Life may be short but it can be very wide!

1. 
   generalkael | Jan 03, 2006 11:51pm | #6

   I read somewhere recently that established roses actually like walnut shavings around them, but only if they are established.Scott
   Slacker Extraordinaire
   Specializing in nothing but knowledge in everything.

2. 
   kobus | Jan 06, 2006 01:57am | #15

   I've used wood shavings, any kind, on my 100 or so roses for 3 years now as winter protection. In the spring I just rake it around the roses and leave it for mulch. I have not had any problems, and an added benefit is, that the problem with blackspot is noticebly much less now. The mulch protects the roses from the spores that get splashed up onto the leaves.

   I'll continue using wood chips for my roses.

3. 
   Steinmetz | Jan 06, 2006 08:52am | #19

   TERMITES

1. 
   Jimma | Jan 06, 2006 06:50pm | #20

   I'm wondering if the flooding from Katrina has reduced the Formosa termite population in and around New Orleans.

2. 
   jarhead | Jan 09, 2006 09:40pm | #25

                  You are right!! Termites big time. I used to use wood products in the beds, got to root'in around one day and there were many! Now only use pine needles. Those termites were a little too close to the house.

                                     Semper Fi

1. 
   Steinmetz | Jan 10, 2006 05:13am | #26

   Jar, I posted a response to your message referring to wood chips attracting termites, but was timed out on my computer for it taking me too long . I tried to post it, but was not able to connect with Taunton.
   I copied the text and now I'm sending it in the attachment below .
   AH, Life is not always a bowl of cherries. ED>

   Edited 1/10/2006 9:43 pm ET by Steinmetz

   
3. 
   jarhead | Jan 10, 2006 05:41pm | #27

                 LOL, a good cold beer will go with everything!!!

                               Semper Fi

4. 
   WillGraham | Jan 08, 2006 05:46am | #21

   I did the walnut dust and shavings in the vegtable garden a couple of years ago. Bad crop. However this year was a bumper crop. The effects don't seem to last. My shrubs and black currents did not seem to mind at all. Your roses may be all right.  But I won't be doing that again.  

4. 
   Jimma | Jan 04, 2006 12:09am | #7

   Another no-no is treated lumber. Seems obvious, but a lot of time my dist collector gets lots of different stuff in it and I'm not always sure who put what in there.

5. 
   TomHigby | Jan 04, 2006 03:38am | #8

   Wallnut chips or dust is toxic to growing plants.  I'm not sure about its relatives, hickory, butternut, or pecan.

   Tom

6. 
   Pondfish | Jan 04, 2006 03:44am | #9

   I compost my saw dust/shavings along with green leafy stuff (occasional grass clippings, etc.).  I let the mix rot for at least half a year before using.  Here where I live we have very sandy soil and my garden likes the extra organics mixed in.

   But compost first--and if you are new to composting, check out the Fine Gardening pages on this Taunton site.  I'll bet they have pointers like %green % brown ratios for composting.

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
7. 
   bldrbill | Jan 04, 2006 04:00am | #10

   I have been mulching my vegetable garden with oak and basswood planer shavings for over 30 years. The shavings stay fluffy and weeds and grass won't grow through them if you pile them on several inches thick.  Sawdust will pack down and actually shed water, so don't use that.  Water perks on through the shavings and holds moisture in the soil. I do add nitrogen fertilizer. I accumulate the shavings all year and mulch the garden each spring when the plants are several inches tall.  Then till them into the soil at the end of the season and sow a cover crop.  As others have said, don't use walnut or shavings from PT lumber.

8. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 04, 2006 06:51am | #11

        When saw dust is mixed with ordinary garden soil, microbes begin to digest the material to form humus.  Although wood is full of nitrogen and all other kinds of nutrients, the microbes in their hurry to reproduce and thereby break down the material faster actually tie up the available nutrients of the soil, especially nitrogen making the soil nitrogen deficient.  When all the wood material is broken down, there would be a net gain of the nutrients.  So it would make sense that if some sawdust were incorporated in the soil for many years the nitrogen and other nutrients would build up and not show a deficiency.  This effect could also be lessened by a good dose of high nitrogen fertilizer.  Beware, as this can be a technical balance.

         It should be noted that the finer the material, the more surface of the material is exposed and the more emphasized this effect would be.  Consequently the chips would have less effect than sawdust.  Also, mentioned was putting the chips on the soil rather than incorporating.  The chips would be physically isolated, thereby limiting exposure to the soil and it's microorganisms and, of course, the effect  would be lessened. 
9. 
   mikegagne | Jan 04, 2006 08:42am | #12

   Soil balancing is the art for using compost materials. Acidic components need alkaline balancers and so on. Most wood chips will act as moisture holders, acidic or not and when balanced fertilizer is applied first and then the chips you will notice very little effect other than good growth and normal fruiting and flowering. Digging wood chips into your soil creates another issue and you need to be careful and knowledgeable about ph effects. I use wood chips on top of my winter fertilizing regimen in Hawaii- I get great citrus, lychee, banana, avocado and cacau (chocolate). There are hardly any plants that dont seem to like the retained moisture under the chips. aloha, mike

10. 
    Ricks503 | Jan 05, 2006 06:50pm | #13

    sawdust and some shaving can actually take nitrogen out of the soil.  Also some wood, such as walnut, has an inhibiting factor to prevent other plants from growing by them - this could cause a problem in the garden.

    1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 06, 2006 05:06am | #16

        Yes, and it does cause a problem.  To much sawdust in incorporated in the soil can leave the soil completely devoid of vegetation.  The sawdust does not really take the nitrogen out of the soil, but rather the buildup of microbes in the soil claim the available nitrogen for their own bodies causing nitrogen deficiency and will utilize it until the wood and dead microbes becomes humus, and the soil is replenished with the available nitrogen from both the rotted wood and microbes.

1. 
   Ricks503 | Jan 06, 2006 05:22am | #17

   I stand corrected, however, the effect is the same in the short term.1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 06, 2006 07:40am | #18

        I'm sorry.  I should have mentiioned it was a technicality,  But I thought someone might like to know.

2. 
   mikegagne | Jan 08, 2006 06:37am | #22

   < the buildup of microbes in the soil claim the available nitrogen for their own bodies causing nitrogen deficiency and will utilize it until the wood and dead microbes becomes humus, and the soil is replenished with the available nitrogen from both the rotted wood and microbes.>Some woods are nitrogen fixers and will assist in that especially when burnt to ash first. The trick to it is whether you dig the shavings into the soil or use them as top dressing on top of a balanced fertilizer. aloha, mike

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 08, 2006 08:01am | #23

   Some trees are nitrogen fixers--

   But we are talking about sawdust and shavings -- dead tree material which are in the process of decomposing.  Dead material is not a fixer.  And Hello to you or whatever Aloha means.  I went over to your fair state to visit my sister once, but when I got there she was in Michigan helping her daughter have a baby.

2. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 08, 2006 08:07am | #24

   PS  Burning the wood is not a good way to reclaim the nitrogen as nearly all of the available nitrogen is destroyed in the process.  Many of the residual nutrients are saved though as phosphorus and potassium.

11. 
    Griff | Jan 05, 2006 11:00pm | #14

    Bodgerman try reading this article from the NY Times from 10 years ago. I think it's still accurate since the basic rules of chemistry don't change that much that quickly.

    I scanned it in to my computer and then copied it onto a Word formatted document.

    Griff