*2022 GardenComm Media Awards Gold Medal of Achievement
The first and only complete guide to sourcing and using woodchip--an
abundant, inexpensive, and ecologically sustainable material--for savvy
growers and landscapers at any scale, from farm to garden to
greenhouse.
The Woodchip Handbook is the essential guide to the many uses of
woodchip both in regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Author Ben
Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association,
draws on his extensive practical experience using woodchip, provides the
latest research from around the world, and presents inspiring case
studies from innovative farmers.
The book explores and unlocks the tremendous potential of woodchip to
enhance soil health and plant growth
- As a natural mulch for weed suppression, temperature buffering,
and water conservation
- As a growing medium for propagating plants
- As a decomposing source of warmth for hotbeds in the greenhouse or
hoop house
- As a carbon-rich compost ingredient that supports beneficial fungi
and microorganisms
- As a powerful soil health booster, when applied as small-sized
ramial chipped wood
- As an ideal substrate for growing many kinds of edible or medicinal
mushrooms
- As a sustainable, versatile, and durable material for foot paths and
ornamental landscaping
Some of these techniques, like mulching--or the renewable harvest
potential from coppicing and pollarding trees**--**have been around
forever. Yet there is always new science to be discovered, such as the
role that salicylic acid from willow woodchip can play in preventing
tree diseases or promoting livestock health when used as a bedding
material.
Whether you are a commercial grower or farmer, a permaculture
practitioner, or a serious home gardener producing your own fruit and
vegetables, The Woodchip Handbook will show you how to get the most
out of this readily available and renewable material.
