A brand new part shade garden for a townhouse in Portland.

Wood Chips including Cedar Chips are a great way to have healthy plants.

For many of our non-lawn garden designs, we opt for cedar chips instead of the traditional dark brown bark dust as a top dress.  While some prefer the look of bark dust, cedar chips offer distinct advantages: they last for years, conserve moisture during summer, and provide excellent insulation through winter.  I love NW Play Fiber from Grimms Fuel for cedar chips that last for years and because of how they are cut, work well for paths too.

Why are Multi Species Wood Chips so Popular in Portland?

Multi tree species wood chips are advantageous braking down and supplying a more diverse group of beneficial bacteria than cedar chips and they last a year typically. Chip Drop, is a service that delivers mixed species wood chips for cheap. However, it’s critical to understand that this donation-based service can come with some important caveats—there might be soil, rocks, or even debris (garbage) in the mix. It’s not a criticism of the service, but rather something to keep in mind when deciding if it’s right for your garden.

If they chip trees by a road, the garbage on that road will come along with your wood chips.  Also the minimum amount they are willing to drop might be six times what you can use so check it out carefully. Still using what is otherwise waste product is perfect for environmental reasons. Just check out their service carefully to be sure you want what they offer.

Applying Wood Chips to Planting Areas

Rebecca’s newly planted native plants garden in NE Portland with NW Play Fiber Cedar Chips.

Wood chips play a crucial role in insulating the soil, retaining moisture, and gradually breaking down to enhance soil structure. When applying mulch, aim for a 2-inch layer, being careful not to bury your plants—spread the mulch around them, not over them. If you’ve already top-dressed your garden with a 2-inch layer of wood chips or bark dust at the time of planting, don’t add more chips until it begins to break down. However, it’s wise to keep your wood chips topped up yearly to 2 inches to help with weed control and maintain the health of your garden.  Cedar chips last several years.

Here’s a snapshot of Rebecca’s garden, beautifully top-dressed with NW Play Fiber (Mt Scott Fuel) cedar chips in late spring of 2024.

Need help with landscape design? Feel free to reach out to me, your Portland landscape design partner, and let’s transform your Portland garden!