Mulching Annuals

Recently, a friend was told annuals should not be mulched with bark. I know its best to use a mulch that deteriorates quickly, but will bark mulch damage the annuals in anyway? I don't plant many annuals, and usually use cocoa bean mulch for mine. Thanks for any information!





This message was edited May 21, 2005 10:48 PM

Dunno. Here where it is DRY, I bark everything. The cottage gardens do not seem to mind.

Forgot the picture. I do not dump bark on very small seedlings but everythng else gets a dose.

This includes the tomatoes. They are annuals aren't they Lol!?

I mulch annuals, too. The bark helps keep moisture in the soil which is needed for annuals to do their best.

The concern about bark mulches is usually that the decompostion robs nitrogen from the soil, but as long as you fertilize regularily, you should not have a problem. Most of the energy from the soil, the annuals get from the top 3-6" layer of soil and that is not affected by some nitrogen deficiency at soil level. Only if you were to seed annuals, then you may want to skip the bark.

Good point with the tomatoes! ;-)