George.com wrote:

How big are the woodchips you get where you live (I presume the USA)? When
people say woodchips to me that describes something fairly large, not saw
dust or wood shavings. I don't know about your experiences in the US however
here in New Zealand we wouldn't go near mixing woodchips in to top soil, I
have never come across anyone suggesting it.

Yes, he should not mix them in. They should be layered on top, and he
should
plant through the chips.

The chips from a tree company have much more variance than the chips
you see in malls.
Around here, probably 80% of them are one inch or lower, and about 10%
are up to 4 inches.
They 80% decompose in two years. They keep the ground weed-free longer
than that, because the larger chips work their way to the top, either
due to the freeze-thaw cycle or earthworm activity.

Untreated wood chips are used
as a mulch and wood shavings and shredded tree prunings are used in lighter
grade composts and possting mixes. Even those however are composted along
with the likes of manures, blood and bone, limes, sand etc.

I see no difference between composting them elsewhere and composting
them as mulch.
So long as they are on top, they will not affect nitrogen availability
in the soil.


rob