For the design of landscape design, there are many ways and means. Some of them are quite time-consuming and expensive, but there are simple options that allow not only to decorate the site, but also bring significant benefits to plants. One of them is the use of wood chips. The material has several advantages and provides the opportunity to give the garden a unique flavor without much hassle.

Varieties of mulch

Mulching of the soil is one of the important agricultural techniques to maintain the necessary soil moisture. In addition, mulch prevents the growth of weeds, improves the composition of the soil and often serves as a decoration of the landscape. There are different types of mulch, which are divided into two main types: organic and inorganic. As organic mulch, materials are selected that can quickly give out nutrients, help beneficial microorganisms develop in the soil.

Important! Organic mulch should be stacked so that it does not touch the trunk of the plant. It may rot from contact with wet material.

These include:

1. Wood chips and bark. This is not only an excellent mulching material for fruit trees and shrubs, but also an excellent decorative coating used in landscape design. Bark and wood chips protect the soil from compaction, stimulate the activity of soil organisms, which improve the composition of the earth.
2. Conifer needles. Needles are often used by gardeners as mulch, as it has a lot of properties: it protects the soil from drying out, repels slugs, snails and other pests, prevents the growth of weed grass, repels sunlight.
3. Peat. This natural mineral is an excellent mulching material, as it improves the fertility and chemical composition of the soil. If you put it under trees and bushes for the winter, in the spring the ground will thaw faster.
4. Sawdust. Using sawdust, you can make a warm shelter for the winter, and in the summer they will protect the soil from drying out. This material looks quite aesthetically pleasing in the garden, therefore it is often used to decorate the landscape, as well as to design paths.
5. Compost and humus. These materials contain many nutrients with which plants are saturated for a long period of time. Mulch is introduced in spring, when the active growth of greenery begins. Of course, one cannot speak of any aesthetic qualities in this version, but the benefits of this material are enormous.
6. Mowed grass. Before laying grass on the beds, it must be dried in the sun, otherwise it will rot and create an unfavorable environment.

Inorganic mulch is used less often, although it also has its advantages.

The main materials here are:

1. Ruberoid or black film. These materials retain moisture well and inhibit the growth of weeds, but they do not allow moisture to pass through, so they need to be cleaned or irrigated with a belt to irrigate the soil. So that they do not overheat in the summer, they make an additional shelter from straw.
2. Non woven materials. Agrofibre is best suited - although it does not improve the composition of the soil, like all inorganic mulch, it passes moisture and air, and the soil under it does not overheat.
3. Expanded clay. The material also retains moisture well and is often used for decorative purposes. In addition, it can be mixed with heavy soil to make it lighter.

What chips are used

The production process of quality wood chips goes through complex technological stages. First, the raw material is cleaned, then crushed to a size of 3-5 mm. After that, the chips are sieved through a special device and treated with antiseptic agents against fungi and harmful insects.

At the final stage, many manufacturers paint the raw materials in different shades, which gives great scope for design imagination. Wood chips are made from different types of trees.

Did you know? The composition of the chips includes organic matter and mineral compounds, in particular 49% carbon, 44% oxygen and 7% hydrogen.

In gardening, the following material is often used:

The use of bark in landscaping

The use of woodchips in landscape design has several purposes, since the material is multifunctional. With its help, you can not only create a high-quality covering layer, but also adequately decorate the garden, as well as other objects of the summer cottage.

Mulching and sheltering soil

Wood chips are very useful for the soil. It contains a rich composition of elements necessary for the normal development of plants. As mulch material can be used all year round. In the spring, he will not only protect the soil from drying out, but will also become a good fertilizer.

Important! Softwood chips can oxidize the soil, so it is recommended to use it to cover the near-trunk circle of plants that prefer acidified soil (conifers, heathers, rhododendrons, etc.).

Using wood chips does not allow weed grass to grow, but only if the layer is at least 5 cm. It is difficult for weeds to break through this thickness. In the autumn, mulch protects the soil from erosion by torrential rains and from drafts. In winter, it serves as a warm shelter, under which the roots of plants are well preserved until spring.

Decoration of flower beds and flower beds

With the help of decorative chips, you can decorate flowerbeds and flower beds, creating a single composition. Brown bark is considered to be classic, having several basic shades: chestnut, terracotta and chocolate. It is most often used for mulching tree trunks of trees, as well as for background filling.

A multi-colored sliver provides an opportunity for the gardener to realize all his fantasies regarding the bright transformation of the site.

A monochrome background of crushed bark is often created on flower beds to emphasize the beauty of plants and avoid unnecessary "stickiness". Green wood chips can imitate the lawn in those places where living plants cannot take root (in darkened, waterlogged areas), or fill the empty soil after digging the garden.

With the help of colored mulch, you can diversify the flowerbed with green decorative shrubs, give it a stylistic focus. This design looks beautiful in flower beds with coniferous cultures.

The variegated colors of the soil cover in this case adequately emphasize the openwork of greenery. Also, with chips of different colors, you can lay mulch around the tree trunks, and the garden will look very unusual and attractive.

Colored bark is especially good in the winter, when the lawns remain almost naked.

The exception is evergreen crops, but many have poor frost resistance, which is why they are hidden under shelter. During this period, the decor of multi-colored wood chips will significantly transform the site.

Playground flooring

The main advantage of small wood material for the design of playgrounds is its softness. When playing on such a surface, there is less likelihood that the child may be injured. In addition, it is not only pleasant, but also useful to walk barefoot on the flooring - with such walking, important points on the feet that are responsible for the work of various organs are activated.

Important! The most visited places on the house plot are those that are in the shady corners of the garden, because in the hot season it is here that you want to relax. Their design should be given special attention.

In addition to the benefits and safety, it is necessary to note the decorative function that the material performs. By purchasing chips of various bright colors, you can turn a playground into a masterpiece that will surely please your child. After rain, puddles will not stagnate at such a site, which is also important for children who do not want to stay in a country house.

Dressing paths and porches

Decorative wood chips have recently found application in the design of garden paths, porches, a variety of paths between flower beds. It should be noted that this is a rather economical option, which will cost several times cheaper than laying tiles or a concrete base.

Any gardener can easily cope with such work. As in the case of the playground, the design of the tracks with wood chips has the advantage of not allowing puddles to stagnate during the rainy season. In addition, the coating has cushioning properties.

If the tracks perform an aesthetic function, playing the role of separators of different zones, they can be decorated with various patterns of mulch. First, a sketch is drawn on the ground, and then various colors of the material are poured on it. With the help of wood chips you can make a beautiful entrance to the house. Such a coating will not only maintain cleanliness, but also facilitate the movement of the car.

The advantages of decorative wood chips

• In addition to softness, benefits to the soil and decorativeness, wood bark is a natural eco-material and has a host of other advantages:
• decomposes and does not harm a person or the environment;
• perfectly preserves soil moisture and protects it from overheating;
• inhibits weed growth;
• decorates the landscape, including single plantings and floral arrangements;
• serves for a long time (up to 5 years) and is not afraid of fungus;
• can be used as a cover for children’s and sports grounds;
• allows you to create on the ground drawings in different styles and palette;
• causes associations with forest thickets due to a pleasant aroma;
• inexpensively.

Making decorative wood chips with your own hands

The easiest way to get decorative chips is to buy it in bags. You can also go to the nearest sawmill or production of wooden products. Further, ready-made raw materials can be painted. If you wish, you can make wood chips yourself, but for this you will need a special machine designed for wood processing.

The resulting material is painted in small portions: pour chips into a bowl and pour in a mixture of dye diluted with a solvent to a liquid consistency. The contents of the bowl must be constantly stirred so that the material acquires a uniform color. After processing, it must be decomposed to dry.

How can you paint wood chips

There are a lot of options for painting wood bark. All of them can be divided into two main categories: natural dyes and non-natural. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Did you know? Wood chips are a filler of durable building material — wood concrete, which is used to form bulky masonry.

Natural ingredients are good for staining mulch used in fruit crops.. It does not pollute the site and does not interfere with the process of converting fertilizer into humus. The disadvantage is that the color will not be bright, and the paint will last no longer than three seasons. Natural dyes include: lime, greens, potassium permanganate, beet juice, onion shell broth, as well as watercolors and gouache.

Artificial dyes are used to make colored chips look expressive and retain color for a long time.keeping tone up to 20 years. But you need to consider that such tools can make mulch dangerous for the garden. Unnatural dyes include acrylic and water based paints.

Decorative wood chips for a gardener can be a profitable decision to decorate the site, combining inexpensive cost and attractive appearance. These sawdust, which can also be made independently, will protect plants from the negative effects of the environment and will serve as a beautiful material for the design of the house territory.