Sawdust for mulch?

[Steve Ash]

This may be a silly question, but...since my new planer is up and running and I have 300 bd. ft. of white ash that needed to be planed, I am accumulating a considerable amount of sawdust/shavings.
One of my friends wants some of this stuff for mulch in his yard and I know some people put it in their gardens. Tonight I asked my dad if he wanted any for his garden and he said it didn't help the soil (he is a retired farmer and has a huge garden) so this got me thinking I should ask the experts here if there is a use for sawdust as mulch?

[Frank Pellow]

This may be a silly question, but...since my new planer is up and running and I have 300 bd. ft. of white ash that needed to be planed, I am accumulating a considerable amount of sawdust/shavings.
One of my friends wants some of this stuff for mulch in his yard and I know some people put it in their gardens. Tonight I asked my dad if he wanted any for his garden and he said it didn't help the soil (he is a retired farmer and has a huge garden) so this got me thinking I should ask the experts here if there is a use for sawdust as mulch?
I have been using it in my used-to-be-almost-solid-clay vegetable garden for about 30 years (along with compost and a little sand) and my soil is now great. Maybe that is and due to the compost and sand, but I think that the shavings/sawdust have helped as well. Another thing that shavings/sawdust do is to help keep the weeds under control.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Sawdust alone, I believe, will draw the nitrogen out of the soil so you would need to do as Frank and mix it with other mulch.

Ernie

[Joe Mioux]

STeve:

Your Dad is correct!

You always want to put decompsed material back in the soil. NOT decomposing material. N will be pulled out of soil and you will change the Ph.

If you do throw sawdust in the garden, you better add some lime.

Joe

[Jim Becker]

Yes, you can use your non-walnut chips, shavings and dust for mulch, although it's better if you compost it first. That way, you'll minimize nitrogen depletion in your beds.

[Brian Jarnell]

add blood and bone,that replaces nitrogen.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I know a fella that puts LOADS of mesquite planer chips and Woodmizer 'dust' on his yard every spring...and the grass is beautiful. Maybe not be BETTER for anything, but the right question might be will it HURT anything?

KC