What Do Woodchips Do? A Soil Comparison of Sandy Clay

Over the past year I applied a 4-8 inch layer of woodchips and leaf litter to different sections of the yard. Well, after a whopping 2 inches of rain in a single day, things got a little...soggy! But instead of panicking, I decided to use this as an opportunity to see what the woodchips have been doing to the soil health. In this video, I'm grabbing my shovel and digging into 5 different areas of the yard. I'm going to be comparing the breakdown of the woodchips and leaves, the overall soil condition, and most importantly, how well each area is retaining water. Is the woodchip layer creating a water-loving haven, or is it causing drainage issues? Let's find out! This video is perfect for anyone who's curious about the long-term effects of using woodchips for yard mulch. I'll be uncovering the good, the bad, and the surprisingly interesting as we delve deep into the post-rain aftermath! Also included in the video: *Close-up shots of the different soil layers *Tips for identifying healthy vs unhealthy soil *A discussion on the science behind water retention in soil *Leave a comment below and let me know what YOU think the woodchips are doing to my yard!* Don't forget to like and subscribe for more yard adventures! ****Some of my favorite tools and gardening items**** Radius Garden *”Root Slayer”* Shovel https://amzn.to/41GjPRq Kukri Design Machete https://amzn.to/3uUx593 3 Pack Leather Work Gloves (hydrahyde) WelllsLamont size Large https://amzn.to/48vqH6Z Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears https://amzn.to/41DMbvJ Corona LG3720 LG 3720 SodPLUGGER, Red https://amzn.to/47cZTXy Edward Tools Hoe and Cultivator Hand Tiller https://amzn.to/3NJXgFI True Temper 6-Tine Pitchfork https://amzn.to/4bzHdEO We are located in Summerville, SC, where the line of Zone 8B and 9A goes nearly straight across our property. So what to do? We are going to try growing anything we can get away with from zones 9 and maybe 10! We’ll be getting some guava, papaya, and even mango’s to try to get them to grow and thrive in our little food forest. I have watched days to weeks worth of YouTube videos on Back to Eden Gardening. I’m doing my own thing but still following what I’ve learned from Back To Eden Gardening as well as how to grow a regenerative and organic garden. I’m following the methods as shown by Paul Gautschi, James Prigioni, Jim Putnam and a bunch of other channels like Self Sufficient Me, the Weedy Garden and many others, the list really is too long to mention everyone. But seriously, a big thank you to all the creators I’ve been watching that have been outstanding at teaching me. I can only hope my videos continue to assist others and show that anyone with the willingness to try this, you can do it too! Clicking on these links is part of the amazon associates program. It costs you nothing, but supports this channel whenever you buy something you were probably already going to buy anyway. It doesn’t even have to be one of these items. Buy whatever you want, it helps support this channel. Thank you!