Gardener seeks help after receiving a massive delivery of wood chips: 'I don't want to throw kitchen scraps on it'

A Redditor asked for advice on long-term composting after receiving a large delivery of Douglas fir mulch from ChipDrop.  

In the post in r/composting, they explained that they plan to use some of it for cardboard mulch and have some areas in the yard to stockpile but will have a lot left over.

"I don't want to throw kitchen scraps on it," the Redditor said, explaining they have a lot of larger pests in the area.

Composting allows farmers to use unsellable crops, recycle nutrients into their soil, and produce higher crop yields. Like farmers, gardeners benefit from composting because the nutrient-rich material provides more lush and bountiful gardens. 

When used in tandem with native plant gardens or eco-friendly lawn alternatives, this can contribute to a more robust ecosystem.   

Substituting compost for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides lowers the risk of health problems, including allergies and cancer, and healthy soils help keep our planet cool by taking carbon pollution out of the air and storing it below. 

Composting also limits how much food waste enters landfills, reducing the amount of methane that enters our atmosphere.

Maintaining a natural yard requires less water, less fertilizer, and, again, fewer pesticides, which saves money and eliminates exposure to harmful chemicals. 

From clover lawns and vegetable gardens to wildflowers and no-lawns, the native lawn movement is a trend that supports local pollinators and wildlife by replacing manicured grass lawns with indigenous plants and flowers. 

Human survival depends on pollinators such as bees, which pollinate approximately 35% of food crops consumed by humans and 80% of all flowering plants. 

The post garnered a plethora of helpful tips on what to do with the extra wood chips. 

"Flattening out the top of the pile and making it a bit bowl-shaped helps it capture any rain that falls, rather than shedding most of it as a conical pile of chips will," one Redditor suggested.

A second commented, "If there are any stables nearby, you could get some free manure and mix it. Are you familiar with the Back to Eden approach? ... Also great for pathways."

One asked, "What if you dry the chips and make them into charcoal with a homemade kiln?"

"I got a huge chip drop too … I plan on just giving the rest away to neighbors," said another.

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