[Hey Jude]

Hello Lovely People! I'd appreciate your thoughts on this one........we moved into a newly built house and have a decent sized bed under the front window, it was planted up with what I can only describe a possibly the most boring plants ever and topped with loads of bark. I lived with it until 3 years ago and then went for a complete replant. As the soil is clay I thought it would be a good idea to dig the bark in to improve the soil, and in went the new plants. Lovely. Only one problem, the plants don't seem to grow - they don't die either, but they're exactly the same size as they were when they first went in, even the ivy that I was hoping would take off up the house hasn't done a thing, anyone any idea as to what the problem might be? I'm wondering if it's something to do with the bark..........

[sunshineband]

Was the bark big chunky bits like playground bark?


Or part decomposed?

[viettaclark]

Could be the bark. Seems like it doesn't do much for the soil and uses up nitrogen decomposing. I found this out when I used fairly small shreds of sycamore bark to earth up my spuds and I've had a dismal harvest......

[New shoot]

It might be worth digging down a bit to see what topsoil you actually have and whether there is debris or a solid slab of clay underneath.  There quite often is with new builds and it restricts root growth very effectively.

[sunshineband]

Yes it coud well be something from the build affecting the soil, as New Shoot said.

Probably a combination of things 

Best thing is to take out your 'frozen in time' plants and pot them up carefully, then excavate to investigate, and add some nutrients to the soil when you recreate your bed --- preferably somethat will provide nitrogen such as chicken poo pellets 

[Hey Jude]

Thanks All, I've definitely got a layer of thick clay in the back garden that I've dug through when planting and the plants there are fine, I'll dig deeper and go with the chicken poo pellets on the front, and Sunny the bark was big lumps not fine stuff (hindsights's great - I should have put more effort in and taken it off instead of going for the lazy option and diging in!!) As ever thanks for your help. Jude.

[Optimistic Gardener]

Hi I have a similar patch one side of my garden.  I think it's just dry shade.  There aren't many things that like growing in dry shade.  I'm going to give up planting it out again and will probably just lift everything, move it and then put it down to grass.