Arborist Mulch Chip Drop

 Chip Drop Delivered!

October 5, 2023

Probably like 9 cubic yards of mulch! I started to move it to the beds. Laid down 4 inches in the garden paths and it didn't even make a dent in the pile. Will probably go back and do another couple inches to make is six inches deep.  Put some around the edge of the garden fence for the border of Blue Hyssop. Will probably not use to cover the veggie beds themselves as it can pull nitrogen from the soil.

Slowly plugging away at it. Moving a lot of wheelbarrow loads to behind the compost bin. Decided that this would be the big (four foot tall) pile where I make it into compost. Spreading it around now, but from here on out, start the tall pile. Leave half the space free to turn the pile onto going into the winter and once sprint thaw hits.

Arbortist Wood Chips: The Best Mulch Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott-  She has some good things to say about this crazy thing I got myself into! Don't mix into soil! Pile to six inches deep. Be careful of driect sowing as the top millimeter of soil will be poor in nitrogen after wood chip mulch.

Wood Chip Mulch 

Oct 28, 2023- Have been plugging away at this for about a month now just with pitchfork and wheelbarrow. If I do this again, it might be worth it to rent  a larger motorized equipment. 

I figure one or two more days of hauling and it'll be gone. Still have to finish the front slope, peony beds and more around the garden fence.

Nov 18, 2023- Turned the pile for the first time after finishing moving it all last week.  Was def still warm in the middle, but right on the border of yellow and orange (active). As I moved it I emptied out the one plastic composter. Was pleasantly surprised to see the bottom of that, which had been layers of wood chips and kitchen scraps, had alreay broken down nicely. Cleaned it out and put it in the layers of the big pile. Mixed in layers of the green grass clippsings and more blood meal. Will try to turn it once a week until the snow gets too deep or it gets too cold out to reasonably do it.