[neatntidy]

I'm familiar with carbon needing nitrogen to break down and wonder others views as to whether woodchip paths around my raised beds will take nitrogen from soil. I feed my beds with comfrey tea, home compost, nettle tea, chicken pellets and rotted manure depending on the crop.

[mumofstig]

You are woodchipping your paths, not your beds - so it'll make no difference at all, to the soil you're growing in.

[Beetroot Queen]

Never had a problem here

[neatntidy]

Thanks both. Good to get a view from more experienced growers. I thought as much (or mulch!). Was considering switching to gravel paths but that would be pain and isn't free.

[Godhelm]

My understanding is that wood chips will take nitrogen from the soil if dug in, but even when  used as a mulch on a bed, they will take nitrogen from the air (which is about 80% nitrogen) rather than the soil. Should be absolutely no problem on paths, but they will rot and then weeds will grow!

[cadalot]

then you dig in the rotted woodchips into your beds or add to your compost heap and replace with nice fresh woodchips

[sunshineband]

then you dig in the rotted woodchips into your beds or add to your compost heap and replace with nice fresh woodchips

I just add another deep layer of woodchip about twice a year, ensuring no weeds are growing to be buried, as they can easily fight their way back up again otherwise

[cadalot]

I found that when there is a lot of leaf in the woodchips that they turn really quickly whereas the woodchip with less leaf matter is so much better for paths. I did install weed membrane under some paths and cardboard which I'm guessing has now been eaten by the worms on others.

[sunshineband]

I found that when there is a lot of leaf in the woodchips that they turn really quickly whereas the woodchip with less leaf matter is so much better for paths. I did install weed membrane under some paths and cardboard which I'm guessing has now been eaten by the worms on others.

I found cardboard rotted away very quickly, and so used heavy duty woven landscape membrane, which is pretty indestructible. You are right about the leafy stuff -- I wait until we have either a dead tree or some Autumn ones without the added Greenleaf.

One morning all the paths were steaming in the sun as the green heated up like a compost heap in the sun... wish I'd had my camera with me 

[surbie100]

I find with the deeper woodchip that foxes are forever digging about in it to get worms and grubs. Some mornings it's really pockmarked.

[Madame Cholet]

I've got old builders tonne bags as membrane under mine. Just replacing my wood chips after 2 years as they are getting weedy. I'm tipping them straight on to the beds  and they are full of worms.

[cadalot]

I find with the deeper woodchip that foxes are forever digging about in it to get worms and grubs. Some mornings it's really pockmarked.

Same here, but there isn't a lot you can do about it, I have been told to grate up some really bad perfumed soap as they don't like it, I have visions of going to the site after rain and finding it under a sea of bubbles if I do.

[Kristen]

I find with the deeper woodchip that foxes are forever digging about in it to get worms and grubs. Some mornings it's really pockmarked.

My chickens do that (bark covered paths in my ornamental garden), they scrabble in the bark so that it sprays into the beds ... if they just moved it along the path a bit I wouldn't mind so much.  Its not as if they lay a lot of eggs either!

[mumofstig]

I'm assuming that you are on sites that get free woodchip deliveries, otherwise it must work out quite expensive.

[cadalot]

We have managed to find a tree surgeon who drops off a load in our allotment entrance and we let him k now when it's nearly gone and he drops another load. One chap has dug his whole plot over and covered the lot in woodchips to hold back the weeds,