Is bark ok in a border?

[JamesAsus]

Im wanting to put some plants down at the back of my garden and lay bark down around it as i hate gravel, is bark a bad idea? I really like the look of it and hate gravel/slate etc, and its easy to freshen bark up every year by just adding a bag or two

Does it get full of bugs and blow everywhere in the wind like people are telling me, is it a bad idea to put down at this time of year? It will be bordered off so hoping it shouldent blow much?

We have a cat aswell, is it poisoness to cats??

 

[JohnD]

It's not poisonous.

When it gets damp with rain, it will not blow about. Cats may like it though.

Put on a few inches deep, it suppresses weed growth. You need to hoe or spray it to kill existing weeds before you lay it. Any that are strong enough to come through you can deal with while they are small. Over time it will rot away and improve the surface of the soil, you will find burrowing insects live in it, probably including ground beetles that eat slugs.

IMO it looks quite neat, and the weed suppression saves work. As it rots away from the bottom, you can add more on top to maintain the layer.

It has an advantage over gravel or slate; if you get fed up with it you can dig it in instead of having to remove it.

 

[blightymam]

It's fine for cats, in fact they love it as a toilet - foxes too! Blackbirds like it and like to rummage around looking for insects, so the birds can make it a bit untidy.

 

[JamesAsus]

It's not poisonous.

When it gets damp with rain, it will not blow about. Cats may like it though.

Put on a few inches deep, it suppresses weed growth. You need to hoe or spray it to kill existing weeds before you lay it. Any that are strong enough to come through you can deal with while they are small. Over time it will rot away and improve the surface of the soil, you will find burrowing insects live in it, probably including ground beetles that eat slugs.

IMO it looks quite neat, and the weed suppression saves work. As it rots away from the bottom, you can add more on top to maintain the layer.

It has an advantage over gravel or slate; if you get fed up with it you can dig it in instead of having to remove it.

I love the look of it, just hoping it will still look good in 6 months and i wont regret laying it, i dont mind the cat ****ting in it as its not like im going to be walking on it and i can just rake it all over once a month

 

[Nige F]

It's not poisonous.
. Cats may like it though.

you will find burrowing insects live in it, probably including ground beetles that eat slugs.
.

How about dung beetles that eat cat shyte

 

[JamesAsus]

Is the light stuff nicer to look at or the darker stuff?

 

[Burnerman]

Stick some landscaping fabric down first and then head for Wickes mate.....it was on offer a wee while ago.
John

 

[JamesAsus]

Now im in 2 minds, ive just ripped all the old gravel out and was looking forward to getting some nice bark but ive just been informed cats will use it as a litter tray, is this right?

We have our own cat who goes out, always sits in the garden, would this deter other cats ****ting in it​

 

[JohnD]

Cats are territorial. If you have a cat who treats your garden as its home, it will not only be fairly tidy in its own home and bury its muck, it will discourage other cats from entering.

Funnily enough this is why cat-haters with no pet are the ones who suffer most from numerous visiting cats coming into their gardens and crapping all over the place. They could prevent that by befriending a neighbour's cat and making it feel at home.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I have had bark over landscaping fabric for over ten years and it is fine.
I have hardly ever topped it up, it isn't as if you buy X amount and then buy 1/2x in a few years, it is a quite small top up.

Cats probably do use it but I am not aware of many and to be honest who cares? It isn't like a play pit , it just covers up any crap I guess

I have 2x1 running along the front and back of the fabric -buried by the bark because I have a hover mower and getting too close blows the stuff around a little but nothing to worry about

 

[JamesAsus]

Cats are territorial. If you have a cat who treats your garden as its home, it will not only be fairly tidy in its own home and bury its muck, it will discourage other cats from entering.

Funnily enough this is why cat-haters with no pet are the ones who suffer most from numerous visiting cats coming into their gardens and crapping all over the place. They could prevent that by befriending a neighbour's cat and making it feel at home.

Ours only goes out during the day a

I have had bark over landscaping fabric for over ten years and it is fine.
I have hardly ever topped it up, it isn't as if you buy X amount and then buy 1/2x in a few years, it is a quite small top up.

Cats probably do use it but I am not aware of many and to be honest who cares? It isn't like a play pit , it just covers up any crap I guess

I have 2x1 running along the front and back of the fabric -buried by the bark because I have a hover mower and getting too close blows the stuff around a little but nothing to worry about

My plan is to plant some plants next spring, seems pointless now the roots wont have time to establish before autumn kicks in, so i just didnt want to dig through cat **** next hear when im planting haha, suppose i could just wear gloves

 

[Tigercubrider]

One thing that I learned was that although it was quick to lay fabric and bark on "virgin" ground, sweeping the bark aside and slitting the fabric then digging a planting hole is a pain.

Far easier to plant first and fabric around. Uses more fabric but a massive time saver for me..

You could just use a stiff hand rush to clear an area of bark if you are squeamish
Bear in mind that soil is just worm sh1t

 

[JohnD]

If you apply a thick mulch, it will discourage weeds so IME you don't need a weed fabric.

 

[JamesAsus]

If you apply a thick mulch, it will discourage weeds so IME you don't need a weed fabric.

How thick are we talking? I may be putting some plants in this area aswell so the mulch would improve the soil would it not?

 

[JohnD]

it does rot down, but slowly. I sometimes use 4 inches of (shavings-bedded) horse muck, which rots down in a season, or grass cuttings or garden compost. The worms take them down much faster so they improve the soil, and there is no need to dig. As they are free I use as much as I have. If you hoe or spray the ground first, very few weeds are strong enough to get through, and you can deal with them individually.

Plain bark takes longer, though I have never recorded how long. Avoid shredded conifers though, I found they prevented my bulbs and plants from growing.