[PembsPanther]

Morning All

Right today is the big day, I am about to finish the first raised bed yipheeeeeeeeee. I am thinking about what will be going in it but have a question about mulch, I use bark as a mulch on anything in a pot but would it be a good idea to use it in a raised bed? If so do I wait until the seedling appears then bark around it or can it find its way through the bark if I cover the whole bed to begin with?

Thanks in advance

[mumofstig]

Is it composted bark? If uncomposted it will rob nitrogen from the soil while it does rot.

IMO It's not a good idea to add mulch around seedlings, even around bigger plants I always leave a clear space around the stems.

[PembsPanther]

It is the stuff you buy in big bags from Wickes..........

[BabbyAnn]

If so do I wait until the seedling appears then bark around it or can it find its way through the bark if I cover the whole bed to begin with?

as most mulches and bark chippings are mean to be a good way of suppressing weeds, it would most likely prevent your crop seeds from emerging too 

I have to agree with mumofstig that fresh bark chippings on crop beds would not be such a good idea - most crops grow quickly, have "fairly" shallow roots in general and have a high demand for nutrients in a season so the competition for nitrogen would be high.

Trees and fruit bushes on the other hand have deeper roots (exception blueberry as I discovered) and growth tends to be at a steady pace so they probably benefit from the mulch (you can also lay a weed suppressant fabric on top of the soil with the chippings on top as an added measure)

[PembsPanther]

Thanks for the replies guys So it seems it would be a bad idea, ooops I better remove the bark from under my strawberry plants as well then...........................

Thanks again

[Trillium]

You say you're using the bagged bark from the shops, so yes, you could use that as mulch since it would be partly composted to start with. It's an expensive route to go using this for your raised beds, but I see why you'd do it for potted plants.

A very cheap mulch would be straw (not hay which is full of legume seeds that would sprout on you). Thickly heap that between rows of seeds and when the seeds have sprouted and have a few inches on them, you can nudge the mulch closer to them to retain moisture and block weeds. When I say thickly heap, I mean at least 4" or more.

[Bing]

fGZ1Wy0WES0
recently someone posted this guy's method of successful growing method (see above youtube clip). he cover the field with bark/mulch but not dig them into the soil, so the water saved from evaporation and nitrogen is lost.

[Trillium]

I posted that link. He uses partly composted shredded bark mulch but applies it only in the fall to overwinter and compost further, otherwise it would rob his plants of nitrogen.  By spring, he's set to go and can seed right into the mulch. In spring he'll add some fully composted manure to replenish nutrients. Must be wonderful to get truckfulls of fully composted manure like that to top mulch everything   

[PembsPanther]

Thanks for the replies guys

So it would seem that in a pot it should be fine, on top of a full bed maybe not the best idea, I will try and figure out how "much" composted it is and go from there.

Finally got first bed finished yesterday, few things going into the ground later today yipheeeeeeeeeeeeeee

THanks again