Wood chips for mulch for vegetable garden? - Ask Extension
In February, I posted a question to Ask Extension (#0162675 - the link to this question no longer works) if I could use wood chips that were in variou...
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Wood chips for mulch for vegetable garden? #920152
Asked October 17, 2025, 2:58 PM EDT
In February, I posted a question to Ask Extension (#0162675 - the link to this question no longer works) if I could use wood chips that were in various stages of decomposition as a mulch on my vegetable garden. The response, in part, was "You can still use it as mulch in vegetable or landscape garden beds." I have since read in several places on internet gardening sites that one should not use wood chips on a vegetable garden for various reasons, including depleting nitrogen. My wood chips are from a dying maple tree that was cut down and shredded a couple years ago. Do you still think using these wood chips is a good idea?
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Nitrogen depletion only occurs in the areas of soil immediately adjacent to the decaying wood, where microbes use the soil nitrogen to fuel their decomposition processes. If wood chips are not incorporated (mixed into the soil), then there is no concern about nitrogen deficiency affecting the vegetable crops, especially since they tend to get fertilized regularly or at the start of the season. (Mulch shouldn't be mixed into soil anyway, since that can interfere with drainage, moisture retention, and root growth.) If your wood chips are a couple years old, they have begun to decompose already and are fine to use as a top layer, just like with any other aged shredded bark or bark chips or similar materials. The nitrogen depletion question is addressed in a Washington State University Extension publication about wood chip mulch (see linked PDF) if you're curious.
Miri
Miri
