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How much is too much?
Hi all.
How much is too much? Mulch that is.
I have an area under a tree that has quite a few bulbs growing under and some 'wild Geranium'. Well I don't really know if its wild or not and I don't know what variety it is. It came with the house.
As the bulbs were shallow planted I thought I would give them a little more depth by mulching to keep the soil more moist. I did this with a mixture of well rotted horse manure, some compost and some bark chippings to a depth of about 2 inches at the deepest point.
The question is, will the geranium push through the mulch ok or have I just suppressed them? They are/were well established plants of about 10 years.
Thanks for the comments
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I disagree with Patsy - you mulch what you do not want to grow. 2 inches of compost and bark and it will struggle to grow if at all. I would remove most of it around the plants you want to grow.
I have mulched mostly chipped bark two inches thick in the past and had to re- do borders every year where the mulch naturally dries thin. This year I'm doing it really thick at four inches. Established plants and bulbs find the light without worry
Thanks for the replies so far.
Somewhat encouraging that I might not have to scrape away some of the mulch. Your input is appreciated.
In my experience, 2 inches will be no problem at all. It might be too much for tiny seedlings - the idea is to keep in moisture and discourage annual weeds.
Thank you
I did notice this afternoon that the buds were appearing at the edges where the mulch is thinner. So here's hoping. I just have to keep an eye on it at regular intervals.
Many thanks for your advice