Bark mulch vs wood chips: Which is better for your garden?

If you need help boosting your garden’s plant growth, there’s always the option of using mulch. However, with several options available on the market, it can be rather difficult to decide which to choose. For instance, you may be currently weighing two excellent varieties: bark mulch vs wood chips.

While both have moisture-retaining and weed-controlling capabilities, they also have other characteristics to consider. And with the help of this wood chips vs bark mulch guide, you’ll determine which material is more ideal for your gardening needs.

What is bark mulch?

Bark mulch being prepared for garden or landscape application (Source: iStock)

Bark mulch is an organic material used to cover and protect the soil. It comprises small bits to large chunks of the outer layer of hardwood or softwood trees. Its texture ranges from fine and shredded to coarse and fibrous, while its colours are typically reddish, light or dark brown, or black.

What are wood chips?

Bucket of wood chips used for mulching around ornamental shrubs (Source: iStock)

Wood chips are a type of mulch made of different ground or shredded tree parts, including branches, roots, leaves, and trunks. Different hardwood and softwood trees are typically used to produce wood chip mulch, resulting in a range of colours (from light and dark brown to greyish or reddish).

Wood chips vs bark mulch: Which is better for your needs?

Close-up of bark mulch on the left and wood chips on the right in a split image (Generated with AI)

Let us help you determine which type of mulch is best for your garden, based on factors like cost, aesthetic appeal, and nutrient content.

In terms of variety

Wheelbarrow with bark mulch ready for use in a raised garden bed (Source: iStock)

Bark and wood chip mulch typically come from the same tree types, including softwoods such as pine, cedar, hemlock, and cypress, as well as hardwoods like oak, poplar, and beech.

To determine what type of bark mulch is best for your needs and which wood chip variety suits your garden, the table below explains the advantages and disadvantages of some of the most popular organic mulch varieties:

In terms of cost

How much is bark mulch compared to wood chips? In general, bark mulch is pricier than wood chips because more labour is required to process it. The cost of a cubic metre of bark mulch can range from £70 to £200, while the same volume of wood chips typically goes for £55 to £170.

In terms of aesthetic appeal

Bark mulch being spread in a yard, showing texture differences from traditional wood chips (Source: iStock)

What does bark mulch look like? Bark mulch has a refined and neat appearance that makes it appropriate for a carefully landscaped garden. Meanwhile, wood chips tend to look more rustic, which means they will fit right in in a yard with a casual, natural vibe.

Both types of mulch come in colours, like reddish brown, grey, black, and light, medium, and dark brown.

In terms of decomposition rate

Will wood chips last longer than bark mulch? Wood chips have a longer lifespan (typically up to five years) compared to bark mulch (usually up to two years).

In terms of nutrient content

Natural bark mulch texture showing fibrous and flaky surface details (Source: iStock)

Are wood chippings good for the garden? The simple answer is yes. Because they have a slow rate of decomposition, they’re able to provide enrichment for the soil for a longer period. However, overall, bark mulch contains higher levels of beneficial nutrients for garden planting, such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

In terms of moisture retention

Gardening newbies should know that mulch can help soil retain moisture. But what is the difference between bark mulch and wood chips when it comes to holding in water? In most cases, bark mulch has better moisture-retention capabilities because its smaller particles can easily trap more water.

In terms of weed suppression

Bark mulch surrounding new plant growth in a landscaped garden bed (Source: iStock)

It’s important to use a mulch that effectively prevents the growth of nuisance plants. This is because weed-free fruit or vegetable gardens lead to healthier plants and less yardwork.

Generally, bark mulch is a more effective weed deterrent than wood chips, since it’s denser and more likely to block light.

Keep your garden healthy and pretty with Airtasker

Gardener applying mulch around evergreen shrubs in a landscaped yard (Source: iStock)

Having trouble handling bark mulch or wood chips? You can always turn to gardeners for hire to assist you with this task. Apart from mulch spreading and related services, they can also help you choose the best type to use and share tips on its maintenance.

One way you can conveniently find these mulching pros is to sign up on Airtasker. By simply creating a detailed post on the platform, you can begin reaching out to gardening experts near you.