Wood chips are an easy and affordable way to give your garden a boost. They're commonly used as mulch to suppress weeds, improve water retention, and reduce soil erosion. Beyond mulch, wood chips ...

As a fertilizer, wood ash potash (K) runs about 7% to 10%. Phosphorus is about 1 1/2 %. Nitrogen, another major nutrient, is released as a gas during combustion so it is no longer present in ashes.

Dan Gill: Wood is fine for mulches, but can cause problems when mixed into the soil ... Recently, I read that wood mulches can deplete the soil of nitrogen as they break down.

To insulate the roots of your plants, add a 2—to 3-inch layer over the soil. Compost. Wood chips are carbon-rich, making them a great material to use in compost.

Dan Gill: Wood is fine for mulches, but can cause problems when mixed into the soil ... Recently, I read that wood mulches can deplete the soil of nitrogen as they break down.