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Hi Folks,
On strike today, and happily sitting in the living room, dividing my attention between Jeremy Kyle and the seed feeders on the stunted, withered tree in my postage stamp front garden. I noticed that the gardening company who the resident's association hire to maintain the common land, are dumping tons of bark chips on the soil around the low, decorative bushes.
Anyway, now that I've set the scene- in wildlife terms is there any benefit to having bark chips as opposed to bare soil? I'm thinking of bacteria, invertebrates, etc. I have little faith in the gardening company doing anything other than prettifying the area, given the general hostility of the resident's association to all things wildlifey.
So, how annoyed should I be that the loose soil has now been covered by bark chips
I even love magpies
Chrissie C said: Personally I hate bark chips they always look messy. I am sure they are good for the soil and the birds but I much prefer to keep the soil well turned over aerated and dug in with compost. Helps when the OH worked on the parks for 40 years and enjoys hard labour !!
Personally I hate bark chips they always look messy. I am sure they are good for the soil and the birds but I much prefer to keep the soil well turned over aerated and dug in with compost. Helps when the OH worked on the parks for 40 years and enjoys hard labour !!
Unfortunately (or fortunately in most instances) have no OH to do hard labour and so it's me or weeds. Thinks i'll go down the bark route!
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramble67/
Hi Sarah
I would love to go down the bark chips route. As we are in a rental we would have to ask the landlords permission before we decided to lay down bark chips.
So we will stick to the spade and dig out job.
Good exercise anyway.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
bramble67 said: Personally I hate bark chips they always look messy. I am sure they are good for the soil and the birds but I much prefer to keep the soil well turned over aerated and dug in with compost. Helps when the OH worked on the parks for 40 years and enjoys hard labour !!
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thanks everyone for your replies, i'm re- assured that the chips will be wildluife- friendly (although the weed- sppressing mat that they laid down first is unfortunate)
All I need to do now is persuade the neighbourhood cats that the shrubbery isn't a buffet.....
Hi Johnny
Try to add some smellies to the bark for the cats like chilli powder of is it Cat mint they hate (or like)
Unknown said: thanks everyone for your replies, i'm re- assured that the chips will be wildluife- friendly (although the weed- sppressing mat that they laid down first is unfortunate) All I need to do now is persuade the neighbourhood cats that the shrubbery isn't a buffet.....
No, not cat mint!!! They rub and roll in it and it would attract evrey cat in town!!!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi Sparrow
What are the natural garden plants that cats hate?
I just hear snippets of information form other people here and there about deterrants for cats
Susan H said: No, not cat mint!!! They rub and roll in it and it would attract evrey cat in town!!!