Landscaping is a costly endeavor, but it improves the value of your home and increases the curb appeal as well. Wood chips are one landscaping tool that can help tie together your yard design. Purchasing enough wood chips for your entire yard from a home improvement store can cost hundreds of dollars. Instead of shelling out that kind of cash, research local tree service companies. Many of these companies are willing to drop off a load of wood chips at no cost to you.
The Fate of Wood Chips
When tree service companies cut off branches or chop down entire trees, they put the wood through a mulching machine to cut it up and make them more manageable. Often, the wood chips are then destined for the dump. Rescue these wood chips, and they can have a final resting place increasing the beauty of your yard.
Where to Get the Wood Chips
Browse a phone book or the Internet to find tree service companies in your area. Call each of the tree companies and ask about wood chips. In many cases, the tree service companies will bring a load of wood chips to your home for free. The representative you talk to will schedule a day and time to deliver a load. From there, it's your responsibility to distribute the wood chips in your yard.
Landscaping Options for Using the Wood Chips
Scatter the wood chips in your flower beds to give your landscaping a finished and cohesive look. Since the wood chips are free, you don't have to worry about conserving your resources. Create a thick 3 to 4-inch layer of the wood chips, which will help mask any shifting from windy conditions and will also to help retain the moisture in the soil so you don't have to water your plants as often. Arrange a layer of wood chips around the base of trees, bushes or shrubs to help hold in moisture and improve the appearance of your yard.
Other Options for the Wood Chips
Create a path or walkway in your yard or garden with an 8- to 12-inch thick layer of wood chips. In addition to being visually attractive, the wood chip path is free compared to the hundreds of dollars it would cost to lay a stone or brick walkway. If you have leftover wood chips, add them to your compost pile. You might also work excess chips into the soil in your flower or vegetable garden because they will increase the soil's ability to hold moisture, which means less watering for you.
For more information, contact Able Scape, Inc. or a similar company.
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