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Can I keep pine wood chips from the garden centre at the base of my raised beds?

rebecca.mckenzie_youngrebecca.mckenzie_young Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hello this is my first post here, I’ve just built four raised beds on top of a wood chipped area of the garden. These were basic garden centre wood chips which smell of pine. Can I keep these at the base of the raised beds or do I need to dig these out? 

My second question is I am about to prune our vine which will produce a lot of long twigs. Can I put these at the base of the beds? 

Many thanks in advance for your help 
Becky 

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Hello @Becky, welcome to the forum. I wouldn't worry too much about the base of wood chips as they'll help with drainage but I wouldn't add the vine prunings as well as they'll take longer to rot down. It might depend however how deep your raised beds are? Are you going to add topsoil and/or manure (not for carrots) or compost as well? 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • rebecca.mckenzie_youngrebecca.mckenzie_young Posts: 3
    Thanks so much Lizzie, that's reassuring regarding the bark chippings.  I'm going to mix compost, topsoil, well rotted manure and reused compost in the beds which are approx 40cm high.  Can I not use the well rotted manure with carrots?
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    No Rebecca, carrots do not like manure and won't grow well, not quite sure why not. They do like a sandy soil though. You just need to select your carrot spot and put in a separate mix. Next year, move them to a different spot. Last year's manure in the 2nd spot won't be an issue.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Veggie crops are usually grown in rotation so that hungry crops go in a recently manured bed, less hungry follow the next year and then the least hungry the third year.  This system avoids the build up of pests, pathogens and infertility which will all affect production rates and quality.

    Year 1 would be potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and cucurbits.  Year 2 would be onions and garlic plus brassicas which also get lime added before planting as this helps reduce club root.  Year 3 for root crops like carrots and parsnips will fork if the soil is too rich.   For more info see:- 

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=124 

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • rebecca.mckenzie_youngrebecca.mckenzie_young Posts: 3
    Thanks so much for the advice! 
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