Are there any wood chips for walkways that don't attract bugs or earwigs?
Answers:
Cedar is your best bet. Not only is it an attractive color but it is also a natural pest deturrant. The smell the eminates from cedar is not pleasing to insects so they tend to shy away from it. The chips will last a while but you will have to refresh the area every season. Another alternative would be to spray an inscet killer/ repellent on to the area or use a granular insecticide/ repellant. this may not be sutable for you, because as you stated you have kids. One more altrnative would be to weekly spray the area with a mixture of 1 part dawn soap, 2 parts chewing tobbaco juice, 4 parts water. It will chase most everything you don't want away- the down side it may smell bad for a few days. but the nicotine in the tobacco and the dawn will help prevent any creepy crawlys from making a home in your wood chips. But the best idea is to go with the cedar!
Other answers:
I think cedar chips are the best. Eventually anything organic is going to rot, so in the end you are throwing your $$$ away. Stone is the best in the long run
I think cedar chips are the best. Eventually anything organic is going to rot, so in the end you are throwing your $$$ away. Stone is the best in the long run
Sorry, but wood chips will attract bugs as they start to break down. If you're really worried about what to put here and don't want to use more rocks--how about some low growing but spreading plants? I'd suggest something like sedum, that way you can walk on it--if you have to--it doesn't take much water, stays close to the ground, is interesting to look at all year, blooms, smells nice.....
If that's not for you, maybe you should just take a trip to your local garden center, explain your problem and maybe they can suggest something. If you don't want plants, how about stepping stones or just adding the area to your walkway with cement--decorate it with the kids hand, foot prints or names.
there are people out there that make and sell a treated bark just for this kind of thing.check with a sawmill that sell bark that they treat.
Paul James, master gardener on HGTVs Gardening By the Yard, just did a show on this Saturday. He suggested using something called Cocoa mulch (I've seen it at Lowes). It smells like, chocolate, does not attract bugs and is soft on the feet. You can also use something called DG or degenerated granite which comes in many colors. It is finely ground, can be tamped into a pathway or left loose as a mulch. It may be harder to find though.