Wood chips or bark mulch? Our advice

Wood chips and bark mulch are used in the garden to cover beds or paths. The question often arises as to what the two mulch materials are used for. We answer them in this post.

Differences between wood chips and bark mulch

In our guide we take a closer look at the different properties of wood chips and bark mulch, and make recommendations for correct use.

raw materials

Bark mulch is usually a waste product from forestry. If tree trunks are peeled for further processing, the bark remains. As the name suggests, bark mulch consists of the chopped bark of trees. In this country, the tree bark usually comes from pine,

fir, spruce or Douglas fir. Pine bark mulch is ranked higher. However, anyone who pays attention to sustainability should pay attention to the pine mulch do without, since the bark is imported.

Wood chips, also known as woodchips, are also a waste product. Starting materials are here, for example

• Forest residue (cut branches)
• weakwood
• Clippings from care measures

A notice: Whether the wood chips are hardwood or softwood depends on the manufacturer. There are also wood chips with or without bark.

Price

Since the application of bark mulch and wood chips on the principle "don't spill, but clog" done, can the price play a crucial role in the choice of mulching material. The rule of thumb here is that woodchips are generally more expensive than bark mulch. The latter is available from about 10 cents per liter. You can get wood chips from hardware stores from 19 cents per liter.

durability and application

In terms of properties, the biggest difference between wood chips and bark mulch is the outdoor durability of the material. The general rule:

• Top up bark mulch annually
• Apply wood chips about every 3 years

A notice: If price and durability are considered together, the recommendation is in favor of wood chips, as they are cheaper in terms of their longevity.

In terms of application, there is hardly any difference between bark mulch and wood chips. Both materials have the following properties:

• suppression of weed growth
• Storage of moisture and heat
• Protection against capping and erosion

However, we recommend using the advantages of both mulch materials effectively as follows:

• Covering garden beds: We recommend bark mulch for covering beds. Because this promotes the formation of humus, which benefits your plants.
• Ground cover such as garden paths: Here the wood chips have an advantage because they last longer.

A notice: For roses, we recommend a special rose mulch that is commercially available.

Color

You can also use bark mulch or wood chips for garden design. Natural bark mulch is brown. An exception is pine bark, which has a reddish hue. Wood chips are naturally available in different shades. The decisive factor here is which tree species served as the starting material. In addition, there are colored wood chips in the colors

• Yellow
• Red
• Brown
• Grey/anthracite

A notice: For green, blue, purple or pink woodchips or When buying bark mulch, you should make sure that the material is also suitable for the garden.

If you want to beautify your garden with these splashes of color, you should use wood chips, as these are usually easier to get in the desired colors.

Special case: fall protection

Should that Mulch material on the playground or under a climbing frame, special wood chips are recommended. These are after EN 1177 or. EN 1176 certified. You can often find these wood chips in the trade under the designations "playground fall protection" or "path surface wood chips".

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