Putting compost on bark mulch?

[lilyclover]

Hi, another first time gardener here. Our borders were newly planted last summer and bark mulch put on top. Now that it's spring, a lot of the care tips I see say to "apply a generous mulch of well rotted compost around the base of the plant."

How do I do that if the whole border is covered in bark mulch that hasn't really broken down? Do I scrape away the bark mulch around each plant, apply compost and rearrange the bark mulch again on top?

Also, what type of compost should I buy? What about fish blood and bone meal, should I get that too?

Thanks for any advice!

You do not need to mulch again. The Bark will start to break down this year and will continue to protect your plants. As it starts to decompose, worms will take into the ground to feed your plants.

Next Autumn you can mulch again. I use composted Bark for a mulch. The Main reason is because our local cats seem to think the uncomplsted bark is there for them to poo and pee on.

I buy my compost from as site called Compost Direct. They have a good range of mulches and compost and a very helpful site,

I should have said, late Autumn, I usually apply in November after a dry spell.

Plant feeding is a bit hit and miss. I have been gardening for decades and still find the info confusing, Some gardeners never feed and others do it religiously. I once had a large flowering clematis that stopped flowering, so for two years I gave it to Tomato feed. I grew like a triffid but no flowers. Totally the wrong thing to do, I now know. Anyway, if you put fresh compost onto your garden last year and bought plants in pots, there should be no need to feed this year. A lot does depend on your soil and I am prepared to be corrected by others.

If you can list what plants you have, then we can be more specific about their care,

Thanks doctor, that certainly simplifies things!

Here's my list (sorry pretty long). I've got a long term illness so have chosen low maintenance plants. They're all very young and the creepers haven't established themselves yet.

Sunny border

• Pinus mugo Carsten’s Wintergold
• Juniperus communis Goldschat
• Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' (I'm planning to cut last year's growth, which has dried out, this weekend)
• Lonicera japonica Hall's Prolific (have read not to prune in the first 2 years)
• Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' (these are less than a year old, should I prune this spring?)
• Lavandula angustifolia 'Blue Cushion' ('Schola')
• Hebe 'Emerald Gem'
• Hebe 'Heartbreaker'
• Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii (spurge)
• Cotoneaster dammeri
• Escallonia 'Iveyi'
• Rosmarinus officinalis 'Roman Beauty'

Partial sun/shade border:

• Pittosporum 'Tandara Gold'
• Trachelospermum jasminoides
• Skimmia japonica
• Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Angel'
• Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' (Japanese sedge)
• Hebe 'Mrs Winder' (this has flowered through winter, and I'm deadheading the spent flowers)
• Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety'

Shady border:

• Polystichum polyblepharum
• Epimedium x rubrum (these have never seemed to do well, brown drab leaves, plants are not spreading)
• Heucherella Alabama Sunrise (has been raining a lot, leaves look bedraggled and a bit sad, maybe they need more sun?)
• Hydrangea quercifolia (oak-leaved hydrangea)
• Hydrangea seemanii (climbing hydrangea)
• Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican hellebore)
• Parthenocissus henryana (Chinese virginia creeper)
• Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb'
• Buxus sempervirens (box)

Fabulous choice. No need to feed any of them I don't think. In the autumn you can add some Ericaceous compost before you add Bark ,both will feed and protect. Trim the Lavender to get a nice shape if you want otherwise just leave it. I cut my lavender at Christmas to add to decorations

That's great to hear, doctor, thank you!

So happy now I know I don't have to do too much to the garden. Now just hoping for some sun so I can sit out and enjoy it!