How to Prepare Your Soil for Frost with a Wood Chipper

Cold weather is coming, but before you call it quits on yard work for the year, there’s one more job worth adding to the list: protecting your soil.

And that pile of branches from fall cleanup? It might be exactly what you need.

Turn Fall Debris Into Mulch

Instead of hauling away branches and woody debris, a wood chipper can turn appropriate material into wood chips that can be reused around your property.

Spread around trees, shrubs, and garden beds, wood chips create an insulating layer between the soil and cold air. This helps reduce sudden temperature swings and can protect roots as temperatures drop.

Basically, yesterday’s branches become tomorrow’s winter protection.

Give Your Soil a Winter Coat

Think of mulch like a jacket for your soil.

A layer of wood chips can help hold moisture, regulate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots from freeze damage. As the wood chips slowly break down, they can also add organic matter back into the soil.

For established trees and shrubs, aim for a layer a few inches deep, but avoid piling mulch directly against trunks or plant stems.

More isn't always better.

Put Your Wood Chipper to Work

Fall pruning and cleanup can leave you with plenty of branches to deal with.

The MechMaxx B150 Wood Chipper is powered by a 420cc, 15 HP engine and can process branches up to 6 inches in diameter, making it useful for turning suitable woody debris into manageable chips.

Instead of sending all that material away, you can put some of it right back to work on your property.

Get Ahead of the Cold

You can't stop the first frost from coming, but you can help prepare your landscape for it.

Clean up your branches, chip suitable woody material, and use those chips to help insulate the soil around your trees and shrubs.

A little work this fall can give your plants some extra protection when winter arrives.