Improving Soil

[Sportball]

Good Afternoon,

After moving into my house several years ago I set to de-weeding the beds. The garden had many well established shrubs that I decided to keep.

I used a layer of cardboard and wood bark to prevent weeds re-growing and this has been topped up again over a couple of years.

I am now thinking about growing other items in between the shrubs such as Salad, veggies etc. The problem is I think the 2" layer of wood bark may prevent things from growing or stifle the items that are planted.

What will this wood bark have done to my soil and what should I add to improve it?

[chris]

My allotment book says that if you dig in bark chips it can rob the soil of nitrogen..

Salad leafs aren't really deep rooting, can you add some compost/soil on top? - or clear a patch out and add some more compost/soil in?

[Capsid]

The bark mostly acts as a mulch to keep the soil moist which will encourage worms which in turn will improve the soil. But for veg growing I would now remove the bark form the areas where you wish to grow and dig in some well rotted compost or manure. I'd also add some fertiliser such as chicken manure pellets.

[Sportball]

Thanks for the response.

I may try removing the woodbark locally around the plants and digging in an area of compost. Just hope the birds don't dig them up.

[glasgowdan]

The key is fresh or rotted bark.

Rotted bark is fine and can be dug in to the soil. Fresh bark should be scraped away first before planting.