You know you’re a real gardener when
you think compost is a fascinating subject. ~Author unknown
I
love dirt! I love making beautiful, sweetly aromatic compost and spreading it
around the garden. I love raking Autumn leaves onto the garden beds, knowing
they will protect roots from winter’s cold and keep spring’s weeds from
growing. I love composting my garden trimmings, recycling them back into my
soil. I love making my own ‘fertilizer’ since compost feeds the soil which in
turn feeds plants. Making my own compost with trimmings (selectively of course)
from my own garden protects me from buying chemicals, pathogens or weed seeds
that can come with bagged store-bought compost. From piles on the ground to
enclosed tumblers (which discourage rodents from living in the warmth of a
compost pile) there are many ways to make and contain your pile of trimmings as
it breaks down.
The
healthiest gardens have dirt that is living. Living dirt is supportive of and
alive with the organisms (worms, centipedes, pillbugs, earwigs, microbes, fungi
and yes… even slugs) that breakdown organic matter (leaves, sticks, twigs,
flower petals) making nutrients available to plants roots. If your garden can match
what goes on naturally in the woods, it will be healthier. In the forest the soil
is never bare. It is always covered, year-round by the decomposing debris that
falls from the trees. Fallen branches, leaves and needles cover the earth and begin
to decay. Decaying stumps are important too. Here in my Pacific Northwest timberlands
there is a native species of huckleberry that prefers decaying stumps in which
to germinate its seeds and take root.
Healthy
dirt makes gardening easier and more rewarding. Healthy dirt produces healthy
plants. That’s a win/win in my book, so it’s no surprise that I attended a seminar
on soil science recently. While much of it I already practice, there is always
something new to learn, right?
There
was lot of valuable information in this seminar but my biggest take away was
this, the value of wood chip as a mulch. Wood chip is not the same as beauty
bark, which is just bark. Wood chip contains all parts of the tree or shrub and
makes a valuable coarse mulch rich in nutrition.
Coarse
mulches allow water and air to move through it so as not to smother the soil or
its living organisms below. I always knew wood chip was a good thing. Even
better that arborists look for gardeners to give it away free to but a 20-yard pile
of wood chip is more than I can use on my little 5000 square foot piece of
property in a single season. But if you can use 20 yards or can share with
neighbors and friends, a great source is chipdrop.com. Be sure to read all the
information including the “expectations” page. It is a free service to
recipients but understand that the arborists pay for the service so a nominal
payment to reimburse the arborist is only fair. After all, $20 USD for a huge
load of wood chip is nothing compared to buying bagged mulch and they deliver it
right to your designated location.
At
the end of the seminar one of the speakers briefly mentioned as a side note that
she has a chipper, a small electric chipper. I’ve wanted a chipper for several years
but I don’t have much room to store one out of the weather, nor do I want to
fiddle with a gas-powered engine. So, my woody trimmings, too thick to chop up
by hand, go into the collection bin that the city picks up. Did she say “small electric
chipper”? Hmmm. It would sure be nice to have one. Now I am really interested!
When I got home, I started looking online for used sources and found 5 right
away! All the same type that is no longer being manufactured and in varying
degrees of condition from looks-kinda-rusty to looks-pretty-darn-good.
Soooo….fast
forward a week. I am now the delighted owner of my very own electric, 14-amp,
120 volt, 3300 rpm, capable of chipping 1½” diameter branches McCulloch garden
shredder! Woohoo!! I’ve been gardening since I was about 5 years old. How is it
I’ve never had one of these yet?
Turns
out there much to learn about my new toy. McCulloch was made in the USA
however, this chipper is no longer manufactured, and similar designs are now
made overseas so finding replacement parts may be a challenge. I did discover a
great source of info on http://www.robsplants.com/chippy.php. Read down through
the comments section of his blog post…it covers conversations by owners of this
chipper (affectionately named Chippy) as they navigate the replacement parts journey.
Turns out parts are becoming available but they are made in China of possibly
poorer quality materials so may wear out more often.
Since
I bought it used, I figured the blades would need sharpening. There are four
blades to keep sharp. Two comprise the upright one-piece “V” blade and then
there are two individual horizontal blades which are reversible, extending
their life two-fold. I read several opinions about sharpening vs. replacing blades
on Rob’s site above but I decided to try sharpening. I just did a light job of
it with a couple of files. It cut through my pile almost like butter. I had a
lot of green material so the exit chute plugged once. Then twice I pushed dry material
through too hard and fast so it jammed. Clearing a jam requires unplugging it
and exposing the blades which is not difficult but takes time away from the
work so I think a good rule of thumb is every time I have the cover off, I will
also give it a quick sharpening. Sharp blades do the work so I don’t have to
and most professional gardeners sharpen the blades of what ever they are using
after every job or throughout the job. With more practice I hopefully won’t get
a blade jam or plugged chute too often.
Thanks
for reading!
For
more information see…
gardening.wsu.edu
getchipdrop.com/expectations/
Another
great source for all things garden is…
gardenprofessors
.com and
The Garden Professors page on Facebook is a collaboration of Horticultural
Professors from around the USA
In bloom in my garden today: Crocus, Cyclamen coum, Hellebore, Sarcococca
confusa, Viola,
Author’s photos
