Only my opinion but here's my take on it. Diseases found in woody plants aren't likly to harm your squash or other annuals. Mold spores are desirable, you might say necessary if chips are to age/compost properly. When I process dry wood for compost I wet them and introduce spores from rotting logs. When I run a large number of green wood through chipper, I pile them and treat them much the same as fall leaves except I don't add green material. Green chips have sufficient nitrogen to heat a pile very well. When temperature drops I wet and turn them at which time they heat again. Second time pile cools I leave them be, or use as mulch, or wet, add greens and/or urea and stir.

Some of us like woodchips because they’re free😊

I have heard mulch often contains diesed trees & waste. Last time I put down mulch near my garden I suddenly had lots of issues. I would want wood chips to last so mold is not good in my scenario.

You might want to read these two publications addressing this issue. Wood chips can have some drawbacks but that is mostly due to improper application, not because of any pathogenic properties.

They are typically considered one of the best organic mulches. And like ALL organic mulches, they WILL decompose over time.

https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/wp-puyallup/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/wood-chips.pdf

https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/wp-puyallup/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/wood-chip-pathogens.pdf

And the coarser the chips the longer they last. Shredded wood lasts a season and is usually dyed.

"Wood chips to last" suggests treated chips. As for chips from diseased trees & waste , what you heard might be true. You might be a candidate for ground cloth with rubber or stone, both having their own issues I'm sure you are aware of.

I'm curious as I'm sure others are what problems you had last time when you put mulch down near your garden. It would also be interesting to know what kind of mulch and source. Many of our members are reluctant to import material unless they know the history, horse and cow manure in particular.

It has been a couple years since I had the issues from the mulch and I do not trust the source of that mulch. I agree bigger wood chips will last longer. My only goals are visually appealing and able to take roots.

I do not need treated chips, last means 2-3 years - more would be nice but unlikely.

I've used wood chips many times in the past will no unfortunate effects. Makes a great mulch.

Just keep playing them close to the vest and something is bound to happen.

Used wood chips from many sources for many years. Never a problem.

I’ve used coarse wood bark chips around my squash and pumpkins, and it worked really well—roots still grew easily, moisture stayed in, and it looked tidy. I just keep the layer around 2‑3 inches and rake it once in a while to avoid mold.

Thanks!