A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Beauty bark

I've been hearing some mixed things about beauty bark. The side of my house is almost completely shaded for most of the day and a couple of years ago our landlord had beauty bark put over there to make it look better. I've been thinking about getting some shade plants to plant there to make it look nice but some people have told me that beauty bark poisons the soil and I won't have much luck getting plants to survive without digging up a lot of the bark and soil and putting in new soil. Is this true or is beauty bark just for decoration? I would really like to know before I spend the money. Thanks in advance for any tips/suggestions.

My dad used beauty bark for years. It does not posion the soil. What it does is decompose just like any other mulch. So the first year you put it down it takes nitrogen out of the soil and the second year it puts the nitrogen back. So if you are going to plant over there and its had several years of beauty bark put down each year the cycle is cancelling itself out. Just pull the bark away from the planting hole, plant your plant and then use the beauty bark as a mulch. That's what it's for.

What do you plan to plant over in the shady area?

I haven't decided what I want to plant yet. I have to go to the nursery and see what kind of shade plants there are. I'm still very much a novice when it comes to gardening and I have no idea what type of plants are good for shade or what they look like. I have a dream of putting in some nice shade plants, maybe a swing, and a bird bath. I just want to make it look pretty over there instead of just a dirt patch that is growing a few weeds. Do you have any suggestions on plants?

I'm also thinking I should wait until next year since it is already just about august. It's fun do be able to plan for it though.

Well I think your going to get all the information you need in the other post. My first suggestion would be to stay away from Sky Nursery on 99. There stuff is high priced and it always dies on me.

And since you are starting now you could probably do seeds. Starting them indoors during the late winter/early spring and save yourself a bundle of cash that you can spend on garden/potting soil instead.

Check out the seed exchange. Many of us will send seeds for a SASE.

But you really need to check out your pH with the soil test before you begin selecting the type of plants you want.

I love the idea you have of a swing and birdbath. It sounds like it will be a great place to hang out during the summer.

I love shade gardens

She is the author of another post in the shade room.

Thanks, Tammy!

I didn't know what post you were talking about but now I'll go look this up!

tkhooper-

I just had a question for you about sky nursery. That is where I have gotten almost all of my house plants. They seem to have better prices that Swansons and those are the only 2 nurseries I know of out here. Do you know of a better place?

Thanks to everyone else for all the advice. It is much appreciated.

For me I find that I'm better off starting seeds on my own. It's just that I was never lucky with Sky Nursery stuff. I tried the bleeding hearts, walking stick tree, pokadot plants and I don't know what all else there, and never had any of them survive. Even though I've picked up stuff from wal-mart, lowes, and home depot and done ok with it. So I guess it's just each person is different.

I used to live in Port Orchard so I would take the Edmonds Kingston Ferry over to dad's and back. On the Kingston side there are loads of nurseries. All off of the main road too.