Bark chippings are a popular mulching material for gardens and landscaped areas, as they can help to suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, and improve soil structure and fertility. If you’re considering adding bark chippings to your garden, you may be wondering if you need to put anything under them. The answer to this question depends on your specific goals and the current state of your garden bed.
In most cases, it is not necessary to put anything under bark chippings when using them as a mulch. Bark chippings can be applied directly to the soil surface around plants and trees, and will help to suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, and improve soil structure and fertility. However, there are a few situations where you may want to consider putting something under bark chippings:
- If you have a lot of weeds in your garden bed: If you have a lot of weeds in your garden bed, you may want to consider putting a weed barrier under your bark chippings. A weed barrier, such as landscape fabric or newspaper, can help to prevent weeds from growing up through the bark chippings.
- If you have a very sandy or gravelly soil: If your soil is very sandy or gravelly, you may want to put a layer of compost or well-rotted manure under your bark chippings to help improve soil structure and fertility. This will help to retain moisture and nutrients in the soil, which can benefit your plants.
- If you’re using bark chippings in a high-traffic area: If you’re using bark chippings in a high-traffic area, such as around a playground or along a path, you may want to put a layer of gravel or crushed stone under the bark chippings. This will help to support the bark chippings and prevent them from compacting or becoming too thin.
Overall, it’s not necessarily required to put anything under bark chippings when using them as a mulch. However, in certain situations, adding a layer of weed barrier, compost, or gravel under the bark chippings can help to improve their effectiveness and longevity.