Yea… this guy had maybe 1.5 yards. Definitely shafted us. I know how much a yard is, it fits in the skid loader bucket.
My finger is pointing at what was dropped.
1 Like
I put in a request on chip drop back in December (no donation), finally got a load dropped off in April. Put in another request and it was filled after only a few days.
Chip drop let’s you specify any tree species you don’t want. Obviously this probably reduces your chances of getting it. Any particular species you would recommend avoiding for fruit trees?
2 Likes
2 Likes
I would report it to chip drop and let them know so they can build out a feature where you can define a minimal-acceptable load.
Last year I had small dump truck load delivered and just worked with that same dude directly after that and paid him the $20 for each load. Getting ready to call him again in a few weeks…
2 Likes
I was so excited to get an email that I would have a chip drop within 48 hours. After two years of waiting with excepting some logs and a $80 tip. Now I just got an email apologizing that they don’t need to make the drop anymore… beyond frustrating!!!
2 Likes
I had a chip drop last year. they brought half deciduous with leaves, and half of it was a juniper I think, wood chips. I used it as mulch for a dry sunny strip along one side the house- the bigger chunks and logs to fill the bottom of a raised bed. I put some in the compost and I gave some away. I remulched this year. I’ve still got about a 4x3’ pile left.
I worry it may bring termites, I was hesitant to get one. in this area there’s a lot of trees coming down in town so it only took about 2 months to show up. if I run out I’ll probably sign for another one I did put a 20$ tip in it.
is there a chance of termites or pests in these? that’s my only concern and I still am a bit paranoid checking those areas for bugs and other nasties
1 Like
The last time I got notification, they said they tried and couldn’t access or something. But nobody tried. I have security cam. Maybe they didn’t like the look on the map?
1 Like
My driveway may appear to them to be a problem… So I added a note on the chipdrop request something like “Please leave just past tile across creek on left, large flat area to be able to turn a large truck.” Just so they’d know I was cognizant of that potential and to reassure them… Not that it helped, have never received any chips as a result, but hey…
2 Likes
I have pictures of the drop location and backup location.
1 Like
I never got anything from chipdrop but I have been getting a regular weekly drop from a nearby tree service company. I’ve been mulching everything around the yard and then some and can’t seem to keep up with the deliveries but that’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
2 Likes
I did indicate it would be best to back into my driveway which may have been the problem. I do have a picture of the drop site. Last tree I had cut down the crew had no problem backing into the driveway.
I made an arborist account on chip drop, to see how much ‘competition’ I have for chips, and thought others might be interested to see how it looks to the arborist. Example below (Omaha metro area). The ones with little red ‘20’ circles are paying the $20 chip drop fee for the arborist. One of them has a 60, which means he’s paying the chip drop fee, and the arborist gets a $40 credit in addition. That person wants chips NOW! I believe the ones with a check mark are ‘verified’, having successfully received a drop before. One can see how it might take awhile to get chips, depending on how many other close by requests there.
5 Likes
I got a similar, but not nearly so useful view, by looking at the sharing network map There are lots of houses closer to the main road than mine, who also want chips. I’m offering $80.
1 Like
I’ve gotten a few loads from Chipdrop. Mine came fairly soon after my request (within a couple weeks) and without any payment. The truck driver has always called me to check beforehand and put the load right in the spot where I asked. I got one load last winter that was mostly pine, which was great. Last summer I got one that was a lot of deciduous tree material, but, of course, it was summer. I live close to the home base of several landscaping/arborist companies, so that might be a reason I’ve gotten good results. I think they are a great service, but YMMV, depending on a lot of factors, especially the arborist who is making the drop.
1 Like
It has now been 16 months since my initial request and I finally had a delivery. It was roughly 10 yards of good quality chips.
I don’t think the tip offered was a motivating factor as the drivers didn’t speak English and attempted to make the drop on my driveway despite the instructions and photo in my request. Lucky for me I was home and outside when they arrived and was able to direct them to the correct drop location.
I received an email from ChipDrop 30 minutes before the delivery notifying me that a delivery would arrive within 48 hours. Included in the email was the name and phone number of the arborist making the drop. For future drops I’ll call the arborist to verify that they understand the drop location. Hopefully, I’ll see the email before they arrive!
1 Like
I finally got some chips, but not through chip drop. After having a listing on chipdrop for about a year, and having one time gotten a notification that a drop would arrive in the next 48 hours, but nothing ever did, I decided to just take matters into my own hands and cold-call some nearby arborists. I called 3 or 4 places over the course of a week, and all seemed interested, and took my number. I finally got a drop last week, about 3 weeks after my first call. So I’d say folks might want to consider contacting arborists directly, and they might get a better response.
The arborist avoids the chipdrop fee that way, which, when you offer for instance a $20 ‘tip’ on chipdrop, all you’re really doing is paying the chipdrop fee for the arborist. So you contacting them directly is financially the same to them as if you’d offered a $20 tip on chipdrop. The guys that showed up were I think a bunch of college or highschool students, and seemed pretty enthusiastic and happy about their jobs, which was nice. I feel like one might have a better chance of getting the chips dropped where they want them via direct contact too, possibly. Though I don’t have a lot of experiences to compare with.
I offhand mentioned to them when they arrived I’d had a listing on chipdrop and they knew of chipdrop, but seemed kind of dismissive. I didn’t press them why.
In hindsight, the first time I got the chipdrop message, I probably should have called the arborist’s number to try to cement the deal. I kind of wonder if they fish around a bit to several locations. Possibly even arrange a deal outside chipdrop, to help the arborist avoid the fee.
5 Likes
Yes if i see them in the area i let them drop chips at my place. Gave one of the workers a peice of steel he was desperately looking for and could not afford if he found it. A friend had a bunch of steel poles they needed to drop somewhere after a big job. Saved him a trip to the scrap yard or dump. The guy delivering the chips offerred me $60 for one of the odds and ends steel poles he needed to make a cattle catcher and i said no thanks its on the house. Next thing i knew i had 5 more big loads i composted. Used a lot around my trees. In life we all look out for each other.
6 Likes
I got chip drops within a day or 2 of whenever I request them. This is what I do. I always offer $40. Most people offer $20 or nothing. I also request pine, juniper, any softwood or anything else. I also mention I want the loads full of needles and leaves. Most people want the hardwood stuff.
I want the stuff that breaks down fast. I am not mulching my front yard plantings with it, I’m mulching in my orchard and making compost.
Before this it seemed like I never got a drop.
4 Likes
I get wood chips dropped for free… it typically costs them to drop at drop centers, so I’m doing them a favor. Anytime I see tree service cutting trees down in my area, I stop and give them my farm business card at tell them that they can drop at our place for free. I don’t think I’ve had one company that I’ve given a card to in my area NOT drop chips at the end of the day.
4 Likes
I offered $80 on chipdrop for over a year and still didnt get a drop. Pretty disappointing if you ask me.
1 Like