Howdy,
After watching the film I started the garden this spring with 3 yards of Douglas fir woodchips spread over fairly depleted clay. After spreading out I ended up with about 2 inches of woodchips. I then planted beets, kale, onions, cabbage, beans, leeks, and corn. I started some by seed, others were by transplanting seedlings. In all cases, I spread the chips off the row, turned the soil by fork, and then put potting soil into a narrow row to receive the seeds and seedlings. After the plants were well established I then moved the chips around the base of the plant. For the most part considering the poor quality soil the plants have done reasonably well.
Recently, I decided I needed more woodchips because the layer had dried out and the soil was showing through in patches. I was able to find some and proceeded to add a yard of so just around the corn and one other row. Now the thickness is about 2 inches. Almost immediately the corn which is about 4 feet high has started to turn yellow. I quickly added some fish emulsion, but the leaves are continuing to turn yellow at an alarming rate.
Now the woodchips I used were I believe some species of cedar. I think they were chipped western red cedar shrubs, but I'm not sure. They certainly had that pungent aroma that you smell from shrubs.
So, in order to rescue the corn I have removed the woodchips from around the base of each plant, and am now awaiting the results.
But this experience is making me wonder about those chips!!! I don't no what to do with them now. Anyone have any thoughts on how to proceed. I sure liked the whole wood chip film with all the benefits, but I'm starting to get a little gun shy using them.
As a rooky gardner maybe I was just watering the corn too much???
