Are wood shavings and sawdust good as a mulch?

Kate Jardine, by email Yes, but not as a fresh mulch. I suggest you compost them for about 12 months first. If you put them straight onto the garden, they’ll start to decompose and the bacteria causing the decomposition will draw out nitrogen and can cause a temporary depletion of plant food in the soil.

Compost wood shavings before using as a mulch