# Planer shavings for flower bed



## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

I have 4 29 gal bags full of shavings from my shop. I am thinking of putting them in my three flower beds that are right next to my house foundation. (Concrete foundation and brick veneer home) Would I be inviting termites into my home by doing this? Does anyone do this with no ill effects from termites?


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Ask your pest control contractor. I think they will say not to do it.

George


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## bauerbach (Mar 25, 2012)

people put down wood chips...

Id wonder how long the shavings would look good though.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I've been told that as the shavings decompose, they will rob nitrogen form the soil as part of the decomposition process. That will then cause there to be less nitrogen for your flowers.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I read similar info regarding shavings and chips over a decade ago. I was going to use them in my compost bins but the info read was likely regarding short term effects. Here's something recent.
Mother Earth Composting


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## Tree Hugger (Sep 1, 2011)

Wood chips decompose very slowly in my experience. 
We use wood mulch ( 6 yard worth this year) around our trees and in the wife's gardens mostly for a weed block and to hold moisture. Newspaper then 3" to 4 " works great for weed block.
Illinois is supposed to have termites but I've seen no evidence of them around the mulch and some gardens are against the house.
I guess if termites are a problem in your area you may not want to do it.
Planer shavings are different than wood mulch and I would suspect they would blow away with a good wind.
Depending on the wood you could soak them in water and get some smoke flavoring on the grill.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

I wouldn't. Surely they'll blow or wash away, and what doesn't will be a haven for bugs.

A few years ago we switched to rubber mulch (recycled/chopped tires) and won't ever go back. Three years later the color is the same, there is little loss and bugs have no use for it.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Very few areas in the US are devoid of termites









This is something worth reading regarding rubber mulch


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

Depending on the wood you could soak them in water and get some smoke flavoring on the grill.[/QUOTE]

It would take me years to use up 4 bags for smoke on the grill. lol

Think I will just put them out for the trash pick-up. I do have one tree that I will fix up and put some around it.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

I would not use any type of organic mulch near the foundation of my home in fear it would feed insects and give them a home next to mine. I do however use it as a walkway in my garden. works great, and takes quite a while to decompose. 









cherry looks the best


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## rcp612 (Mar 25, 2008)

guglipm63 said:


> I would not use any type of organic mulch near the foundation of my home in fear it would feed insects and give them a home next to mine. I do however use it as a walkway in my garden. works great, and takes quite a while to decompose.
> 
> View attachment 152346
> 
> ...


WOW!! When do you have time for woodworking whilst taking care of the garden? Just beautiful. :thumbsup:


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

rcp612 said:


> WOW!! When do you have time for woodworking whilst taking care of the garden? Just beautiful. :thumbsup:


 I just do the heavy lifting. My wife fine tunes it. But realistically preen keeps the weeds down too


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I know how you feel, I was dubbed the mule a long time ago. To the point, she knows all the important stuff regarding species, planting and care, I amend the soil, till it, dig and fill holes.


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## artHarris (May 14, 2009)

*Recycling shavings*

All that which I collect in my vacuum bags goes into a heap at the bottom of the garden - mixture of shavings and saw-dust, mostly oak and ash. There it composes for at least 2 years then it goes onto the garden pathways as a mulch to help control weeds.
Even if they are composted, they should NOT be put onto growing areas; as others have stated, that eats up nitrogen and starves plants.
Whether they are useful on paths before composting depends on how quickly they get wet and how long they stay wet - being wet stops them blowing away. If you have any surface flow of rain water, they will easily wash away; we lost several bag loads of bark chipping in a flood.


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## tlcasey100 (Jul 18, 2013)

*Using Sawdust for Mulch*

Go for it! It would take a hurricane to blow it away and the decomposing wood would feed the worms that feed the soil. Just don’t plough them into the soil because it would take nitrogen to decompose them and compete with the plants. Your plants with love you and you dont have to haul the sawdust off.


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## Grumpymike (Sep 27, 2013)

Got a kick out of artHarris' comment about how the flood washed away his wood mulch ... Yep Art, wood will float.
I made a pile out back for the chips and sawdust. As the pile builds, I add a 'Compost Maker' product (Which is mostly nitrogen) and water it every week (I live in the desert, so little natural rain) In about six months I turn it over and and keep watering. 
When I make garden soil I add this mostly decomposed stuff to purchased soil about 3/1 mix and I have plants that look like they belong in Jurassic Park. 
To use it for a mulch will not work here, the sundowner winds will move it to the next county.


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## dhorttor (Oct 13, 2014)

I live in Kansas and my wife uses my planner chips all the time. If you have walnut you want to keep them separate as they are not good for most flowers except Azaleas and Iris and other acidic loving plants. They will last almost a year here.


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

I don't have a problem with flower gardens that are not attached to the house and foundation. I can use them there and do. 
I am concerned about the ones that are next to the foundation of my home. WILL IT ATTRACT termites or not? That was my original question.


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## Warped bored (Sep 21, 2013)

Well...it does matter somewhat which wood you use.....but I use sawdust and planer shavings for both mulch and compost ingredients......as well as soil amendments....

It's true that uncomposted wood will use some available nitrogen to decompose....so that's a consideration when mixed into the soil.....not so much when as a mulch.....

I have heavy clay soil and a long warm, long growing season......and even pine bark mulch doesn't last long....and I have added it to my beds....and the slight nitrogen scavenging effect has been more than offset by the increased tilth of the soil and biological activities of earthworms and beneficial microbes......

I say go for it.....


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

Its never a good idea to have flower/garden beds right up to the foundation. Keep it away from the house and you can use whatever you want for mulch/fertilizer.


This is how it is around our entire house and is ideal....


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## Warped bored (Sep 21, 2013)

No doubt chamfer has it right....that is ideal! !!.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

WOW! There is a whole lot of misinformation in this post. Too much to even start commenting on. Many of you need a session with your county Agricultural Extension Office Agent.

George


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

I spoke with one of the Master Gardeners in the local club here in town today. Shavings for the garden used as a mulch are perfectly ok. He also mentioned that nitrogen will leach out of the garden with out the shavings and it is always good to add nitrogen once a month. He also said as mulch in the flower garden is safe and won't attract termites. Anyone else have remarks or opposing views?

Now if I can just get rid of the moles in my yard, I'll be happy.


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## Warped bored (Sep 21, 2013)

Yeah.....George is right! Those guys can be helpful......

I remember when I was trying to grow chickens.....unsuccessfully.....

So I contacted Texas A&M University....and the ag expert asked me to explain the situation in detail.....

I told him I tried planting the chicks 1/2" deep.....but none sprouted, so then I tried only planting them 1/2 way...head down..and that didn't work either, so I tried planting them 1/2 way heads up....and it seemed like it was working....but they didn't grow much and were all dead in a week.....

The ag thought for a minute.....then said: "Send us a soil sample...."


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## Ant (May 19, 2011)

Wood chips are great for use as a mulch. Plants and trees can thrive with the introduction of wood chip mulch. Wood chip mulch can reduce watering requirements and encourage the introduction of earth worms. However DO NOT mix it into the soil, just lay it on top. Also some wood is toxic to plants, in particular walnut. So if you have a toxic wood just toss it. It takes between one and three years for the wood chips to fully break down, but I am sure that planer shavings would take less than a year. If you are concerned about putting mulch too close to the house then find a yard tree (fruit trees like it) and just mulch around the tree to get ride of the grass and weeds.


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## Jonnz99 (Nov 19, 2014)

If you decide against using the shavings as mulch, you can make fire logs from them:

http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Tool...=1436079313&sr=8-2&keywords=paper+brick+maker

I've been using one of these for years, mixing shavings and newspaper about 50-50, getting the mix good and wet, then pressing in to logs. Once dried they're great for the fireplace


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Bald
You're located in Alabama. Termite country. I wouldn't put any wood in the ground.


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## yank (Nov 15, 2006)

I put them in my veggie garden, seems to be working well, and I have not seen any signs of termites. YET. They have been there almost two months now.


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## Barn owl (Jul 1, 2013)

I sell all of my planer shavings (minus any walnut) to horse farms. They pay me to take it away.


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