Woodchip Study

For those that like to nerd out on woodchips…

https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WOOFS_TG2_Final.pdf

Dave of Darlington worked a lot on chipped branch wood: https://veganorganic.net/2012/04/organic-box-scheme-pioneers-writings-published/

Quote from the link in the original post:

What is Ramial Chipped  Wood (RCW)?

RCW is fresh un-composted woodchip made from smaller diameter younger tree branches.

Nutritionally these are the richest parts of trees, with young tree branches containing as much as 75% of the minerals, amino acids, proteins, phytohormones and enzymes found in the tree.

A review of the use of RCW in agricultural systems documents evidence for increased soil biological activity and soil organic matter (SOM) associated with its application to cultivated soils.

Chipping or crushing the smaller diameter green branch wood in winter when the leaves have fallen encourages fast entry of soil microorganisms, enabling both nutrients and energy to be transferred to the soil humus complex.

Ideally material should be less than 7 cm in diameter and spread in autumn/ winter soon after chipping to keep the chip moist and provide optimum conditions for decomposition. ..

These trial results suggest that RCW may have many of the same  beneficial effects as compost ..

RCW also provides a potential use for brash from tree and hedge management activities and a useful alternative to burning this material in the field, keeping the fertility on the farm and helping move fertility from the hedges and edges out into the field.

I don't like clicking unknown links.

Most forum members know the value of wood chips.

For those that don't:

https://permies.com/t/160/120453/Great-Wood-Chips

A really interesting report Gray, thanks for posting it.

I was particularly interested to see that potato crops were less affected with slug damage in plots that had an application of rcw.

If the study encourages more farmers to replant and maintain their hedgerows and use the mulch the trimmings, there would be the added benefits of reviving the craft of hedgelaying, not to mention the reinstatement of wildlife corridors.

The slug damage result was the most interesting part to me. Hard to pitch woodchip mulching to a lot of growers but fewer slugs is at least something concrete to point to.