At Leicester Tree Services, we care just as much about what happens after a tree is cut as we do about the cutting itself. One of the biggest questions we get from customers is, “What do you do with all the wood chips?” Well, we’re here to tell you—wood chips are far from waste! In fact, they’re one of the most useful and environmentally friendly by-products we can create. Whether you’re into gardening, want to help the planet, or just hate seeing good material go to waste, there are many smart things you can do with wood chips.
1. Mulch for Your Garden
One of the best and most common uses for wood chips in Leicester is mulch. When spread on top of soil, mulch helps to keep weeds down, hold moisture in the ground, and protect plant roots from extreme heat or cold. If you have flower beds, vegetable patches, or trees in your garden, a layer of wood chip mulch can do wonders.
Using wood chips as mulch also means you don’t need to buy plastic weed barriers or chemical weed killers. It’s all-natural, looks great, and keeps your garden healthy. Over time, the chips break down and add organic matter to your soil, which improves soil health.
2. Pathways and Walkways
Wood chips are perfect for making natural garden paths. They’re soft to walk on, good at draining water, and make your garden look neat and tidy. If your garden gets muddy or uneven, a wood chip path can make it much more pleasant to walk through.
Plus, laying down a wood chip path is an easy DIY job. All you need to do is clear the area, put down a weed barrier if you like, and spread the chips on top. It’s simple, affordable, and eco-friendly.
3. Play Areas for Children
Did you know that many playgrounds use wood chips as a safe ground covering? That’s because wood chips are soft enough to cushion small falls and gentle on kids' feet. If you’re setting up a swing, slide, or climbing frame in your back garden, using wood chips around the area is a great choice.
They’re also better than artificial materials because they’re natural, free from harmful chemicals, and don’t get too hot in the sun.
4. Composting and Soil Improvement
Wood chips can also help improve your compost. If you compost at home, adding some wood chips gives the pile more “brown” material, which balances the “green” materials like food scraps and grass clippings. This balance helps your compost break down properly and reduces bad smells.
When composted fully, the wood chips break down into rich, dark soil that your plants will love. It’s recycling at its finest—turning garden waste into garden food.
5. Animal Bedding
Many people use wood chips as bedding for animals like chickens, rabbits, or horses. They are clean, absorbent, and reduce smells. If you live on a farm or keep animals at home, this is a great way to reuse chips from tree work.
Be sure to check that the wood is safe for animals, as some types of trees (like black walnut) are not suitable for pet bedding. We always make sure to let you know what kind of wood your chips come from.
6. Weed Control
Wood chips can be your best friend when it comes to fighting weeds. By covering bare soil with a thick layer of chips, you block sunlight from reaching weed seeds. Without sunlight, most weeds can’t grow. This means fewer hours spent pulling weeds by hand.
Using wood chips instead of chemical sprays also helps protect bees, butterflies, and other wildlife that might be harmed by herbicides. It’s a gentle, natural way to keep your garden tidy.
7. Firewood Starter
While we don’t recommend using wood chips as your main firewood, they can be great for starting a fire. Small, dry chips catch fire quickly and can help light larger logs in your wood burner or outdoor fire pit.
Just make sure the chips are dry and not treated with chemicals. Also, never burn chips in a fireplace that’s not designed for wood, and always burn responsibly.
8. Erosion Control
In areas where rain washes soil away, wood chips can be used to stop erosion. They hold the soil in place, soak up rainwater, and stop muddy water from running off. This is especially useful on sloped gardens or along driveways.
Farmers and landscapers often use wood chips to protect newly planted areas or slopes until stronger plant roots take over. It’s a low-cost, natural fix that works surprisingly well.
Environmental Benefits of Using Wood Chips
Now that we’ve talked about all the great uses for wood chips, let’s take a look at how they help the environment too.
1. Reducing Landfill Waste
When trees are trimmed or removed, there’s a lot of leftover wood. If it all went to landfill, we’d fill up our rubbish tips fast. But by turning tree branches into chips and reusing them, we reduce waste and make something useful. It’s a great way to give trees a second life.
2. Cutting Down on Chemical Use
Wood chips help you garden naturally. Whether you’re using them to fight weeds or improve soil, you won’t need as many chemical sprays, fertilizers, or plastic barriers. That’s good news for the planet—and for your pets, children, and local wildlife.
3. Helping Soil Health
When wood chips break down, they feed the soil with organic matter. This improves soil structure, holds more water, and feeds soil organisms like worms and good bacteria. Healthy soil is key for growing strong plants, and it also stores more carbon from the air—helping fight climate change.
4. Saving Water
Because wood chips help soil stay moist longer, you don’t need to water your garden as much. This is especially helpful during dry summers or in areas with water restrictions. Saving water is good for your wallet and for the environment.
5. Lower Carbon Footprint
When we use wood chips locally—in gardens, parks, farms, or playgrounds—we cut down on the need to transport other materials. Every truckload of bark, stone, or mulch from far away uses fuel. But if your wood chips come from your own trees or local tree work, they have a very low carbon footprint.
We’re Happy to Help
At Leicester Tree Services, we always give you the option to keep your wood chips after a job, and many of our customers are happy to do so. If you don’t want them, we make sure they’re put to good use somewhere else. Nothing goes to waste.
We believe that tree work doesn’t stop when the branches hit the ground. Caring for the environment is part of what we do every day. That’s why we chip, recycle, and reuse as much as we can—and help our customers do the same.
Whether you're planning a garden project, starting a compost heap, or just want to do your bit for the planet, wood chips are a small thing that makes a big difference.
Interested in Wood Chips? Let Us Know!
If you’re having tree work done or just want a load of clean wood chips for your garden, feel free to contact Leicester Tree Services. We’re proud to serve our local community and help homeowners, gardeners, schools, and businesses make the most of their trees.
Together, we can make your space greener, cleaner, and better for the future.
Leicester Tree Services
6 St Georges Way
Leicester
LE1 1SH
Phone: 01164035555
