| George.com 2007-05-30, 9:25 am |
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"Robert (Plymouth)" <beachcomber@ultimate-anonymity.com> wrote in message
news:y9udnTow8dH2EMHbRVnygwA@bt.com...
> Jeanne Stockdale <peter.jeanne@btopenworld.com> wrote:
> : I have one bed which is particularly difficult to maintain - it was
> : originally a grass bank and it is a continuous battle to keep the
> : grass at bay. So this year I have decided to put bark chippings down
> : but have been advised by a friend that I should put fertiliser down
> : first as the chippings will leech the nitrogen from the soil. Is this
> : correct? (I am putting lots of compost under the chippings)
> :
> : Jeanne
>
> Anything organic that's not rotted down will take nitrogen from the soil
but
> in the case of bark chips this isn't going to be a massive amount. It
> wouldn't be worth thinking about especially with the compost under it and
> may even assist with your control of the grass. In time the nitrogen loss
> sorts itself out anyway
indeed, and if you are not going to grow anything there, the whole point of
mulch, why bother fertilising? Fertilise what? If you do put some plants in
you can fertilise their roots with a slow release fertiliser.
rob
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