When bark is used as a mulch, it acts as a natural physical barrier and blocks out the sunlight from reaching the weeds and prevents their growth. Furthermore, the weed seeds are washed away by rain after they land on the bark mulch. When the weeds try to grow on the soil surface, they are deflected underneath the bark where they die out.

Bark provides good temperature insulation to the soil which protects it from the varying temperature conditions. Bark mulch also protects and preserves soil moisture content. Additionally, bark provides a natural barrier to the ground against thunderstorms, hail or drought. Furthermore, after decomposition, bark releases numerous nutrients and organic matter into the soil which enhances the soil productivity.

Bark utilizes nitrogen from the soil and slowly decomposes. The nitrogen facilitates the decomposition process. The microorganisms require more nitrogen that is present in the bark itself, and thus they consume it from the soil in order to decompose. However, the decomposition process is quite slow and sometimes good quality bark mulch can even stay working for as long as five years. It is recommended to check and top up it every 2-3 years in order to maintain its full functionality. An important aspect to note here is that, the coarser the bark, the longer it lasts and the more protection it offers against weeds.

The recommended laying depth for bark mulch is around 2 to 4 inches deep (around 50 – 100 mm). The coarser the bark, the more depth you need. For example, for coarse bark, around 3 – 4 inches would be needed whereas for finer bark, 2 inches of depth may suffice. A word of caution here is that, you need to put just the right amount. It should not be too thin or too thick because either way, it will harm your plants and soil. If it is too thin, it will not be able to retain moisture and provide protection from sunlight and if it is too thick, it will block oxygen for the plant roots and soil.

Bedding plants are usually meant to provide display of color and fragrance for a few months. If you want to plant some bedding plants, you will need to clear the area of bark, where you want to plant them. Bedding plants naturally grow rapidly in such a soil which is protected from weather fluctuations, which your bark mulch already provides. You will see your flowers blooming in no time, with only a little care and initial watering.

It can. Soil with a good structure has good atmosphere within. If the bark you are using has a porous surface, it will aid the soil to breathe freely.

When you use compost bark, there are greater chances that you will avoid plant root diseases. As the bark decomposes, it provides nutrients, along with an increase in some good microorganisms such as nitrifying bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. The pathogens that are harmful to the plant, are also inhibited which protects the plant against diseases.

The bark that we offer, has a pH in the range of pH 5-6, on the acid side of neutral. Since bark is used as mulch on the soil surface, it allows the passage for fresh air and rainwater and does not affect the pH of the soil in any harmful way.

When the bark is used as a surface mulch, it does not affect the nutrients in the soil in any way. The bark does not provide nutrients directly to the soil and it does not consume the soil’s nutrients. However, when the bark decomposes, it provides nutrients to the soil and also increases the capacity of the soil to hold nutrients.

If the bark is used in tree planting or as a soil conditioner, it will cause a reduction in the amount of nutrients available to the plant. It is not a big issue since at decomposition, the bark already releases nutrients into the soil. So, it is recommended that you fertilize the soil before incorporating bark or it may be fertilized at the same time you deploy the bark.