A raised bed is every gardener's dream. But the plants only sprout luxuriantly if it is filled with the right materials. Is the popular bark mulch also the first choice for filling in raised beds?
In a nutshell
- Bark mulch suitable as filling material for raised beds
- Ideally fill the bed with it in autumn
- a layer of bark mulch follows coarser material
- be sure to cover with compost and fine garden soil
Table of contents
- Bark mulch is allowed in the raised bed
- Only suitable as a partial filling
- Integrate bark mulch into the filling
- Height of the bark mulch layer
- Best time for filling
- frequently asked Questions
Bark mulch is allowed in the raised bed
Bark mulch is often used to mulch root discs. It is suitable for almost all garden plants. That's why it makes sense to use it as filling material for a raised bed. The advantages are:
- available in every hardware store and garden center
- portioned and packed ready for transport
- acceptable price, often there are special offers
- Decomposition materials provide plants with nutrients
- slow and even decomposition
Only suitable as a partial filling
Despite the Benefits of bark mulch you should never fill a raised bed exclusively or mainly with it. Because a raised bed must be well ventilated and warmed and offer ideal breeding ground for plants. This is only the case if you fill it with different materials. These must include very coarse, medium-coarse and fine materials, each layered in the correct order and height. Bark mulch can be regarded as a medium-coarse material that is ideally suited as a base filling.
Integrate bark mulch into the filling
The Filling a raised bed may vary a little on a case-by-case basis depending on what material is available. The following list of materials for individual layers (from bottom to top) is therefore only an example:
- 1. Layer: branches and shrub trimmings
- 2. Layer: inverted grass probes
- 3. Layer: bark mulch
- 4. Layer: compost
- 5. Layer: normal garden soil or potting soil
Tip: Don't forget to line the raised bed with fine-mesh wire before filling. Otherwise can voles penetrate to the roots of the plants and eat them.
Height of the bark mulch layer
The end of the raised bed should be a layer of potting or garden soil about 30 cm high. Fill the space underneath with the remaining materials in roughly even layers. The height of the bark mulch layer contributes to this
- at a total height of 75 cm about 10 to 15 cm
- at a total height of 1.2 m about 20 to 25 cm
A notice: In low raised beds that are not filled with many different materials due to their low height it is quite possible to fill in bark mulch at the bottom and add soil mixed with compost on top distribute.
Best time for filling
If possible, you should ideally fill a newly built raised bed in the fall. Because the filling will gradually sag, causing the filling level to slide down a good deal. You can until planting easily corrected by refilling. Of course, you can also fill the raised bed in the spring immediately before planting. However, you can then no longer absorb the sagging. On the other hand, the bed heats up earlier due to the onset of rotting and you can then plant it a little earlier.
frequently asked Questions
Bark mulch is one of the four layers that must break down over time. As a result, the fill level in the raised bed continues to drop. Until all layers have decomposed, only a little garden soil needs to be refilled every year. Only after about six to seven years do you have to empty the entire contents and refill with new materials, including bark mulch.
If the plants are already planted in the raised bed, another layer of bark mulch can be spread. This time to protect against dehydration and to prevent weeds. The roots of perennial, frost-sensitive plants can also be protected from frostbite.
Bark mulch with a coarse grain is ideal as a middle layer in the raised bed. Only buy products that carry the RAL seal of approval. They are checked for heavy metals. Also make sure you find evidence of cadmium content. This should not be more than 1.5 mg per kilogram.