Slate and Bark chippings night!
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General HTUK rules apply. This section is for tips, hints and discussion on growing that is not related to any specific group of plants.
General HTUK rules apply. This section is for tips, hints and discussion on growing that is not related to any specific group of plants.
Slate and Bark chippings night!
Spent £10 in b+q on slate and bark, wanted to put some slate in pots and bark around my Dicksonia antarctica and Boo's.
The bark has REALLY grown on me, since seeing it in various gardens on here, makes me consider doing the whole garden now
Think the boos have a real natural forest floor type insulation/moisture barrier now
Fortune + Acer slated and soil barked
Musa's
Wonder if the washy will benefit from the heating up of the dark slate in the sun further warming the roots for growth?
Potted boos
Vulcano
Robusta Campbell hedge
After a misting
The bark has REALLY grown on me, since seeing it in various gardens on here, makes me consider doing the whole garden now
Think the boos have a real natural forest floor type insulation/moisture barrier now
Fortune + Acer slated and soil barked
Musa's
Wonder if the washy will benefit from the heating up of the dark slate in the sun further warming the roots for growth?
Potted boos
Vulcano
Robusta Campbell hedge
After a misting
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Great job Cordy, the plum slate really sets off the green of the plants, keep going and do the lot
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Hello
the slate looks great. Half my borders are slated and I love it. I did years ago use bark, but the birds kept flicking it everywhere and I was forever clearing it up. Some of my palms in pots have slate and it finishes the look off. And birds cannot throw it about, lol
the slate looks great. Half my borders are slated and I love it. I did years ago use bark, but the birds kept flicking it everywhere and I was forever clearing it up. Some of my palms in pots have slate and it finishes the look off. And birds cannot throw it about, lol
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Didn't know you were a treecordyman wrote: The bark has REALLY grown on me,
- Dave Brown
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Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Not sure where the "night" bit comes into the title, do you remove it all during the day. Or sounds like some sort of event you are holding. " Join us for a 'Slate and Bark' party.
I have used both, as a mulch, and the bark gives a natural woodland-y look so goes well with the more jungly plants and as a mulch cuts down too much evaporation from the soil, which is a big problem here in summer. It also holds moisture so raises the humidity at ground level which is good for jungly plants The downside is as has been said, the Blackbirds chuck it everywhere except where you want it EVERY DAY , and also that it cools the soil temp down, as cools as it evaporates the moisture it holds, and insulates from summer sun and warmth. I have bought some fine garden netting and intend to peg this over the barked areas using old 2.5sqmm mains cable (neutral, the black colour) hoops to hold it in place.
The slate looks good in pots, tubs, and beds and also stops evaporation, i heats up nicely transferring the heat to the ground and trapping it overnight. However as it dries very quickly so the humidity above is lower, therefore, this is better for plants that don't mind drier conditions around the leaves.
I have used both, as a mulch, and the bark gives a natural woodland-y look so goes well with the more jungly plants and as a mulch cuts down too much evaporation from the soil, which is a big problem here in summer. It also holds moisture so raises the humidity at ground level which is good for jungly plants The downside is as has been said, the Blackbirds chuck it everywhere except where you want it EVERY DAY , and also that it cools the soil temp down, as cools as it evaporates the moisture it holds, and insulates from summer sun and warmth. I have bought some fine garden netting and intend to peg this over the barked areas using old 2.5sqmm mains cable (neutral, the black colour) hoops to hold it in place.
The slate looks good in pots, tubs, and beds and also stops evaporation, i heats up nicely transferring the heat to the ground and trapping it overnight. However as it dries very quickly so the humidity above is lower, therefore, this is better for plants that don't mind drier conditions around the leaves.
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Good job cordyman.
I like the use of the slate in the pots. I have only ever used horticultural grit for that purpose.
I use bark chips for my front garden and interestingly enough I put some more down on Wednesday. I had not realised how much the old stuff had faded because when the new stuff went down it looked almost black as it was slightly wet.
Interesting comments about the humidity Dave. Never thought about the slate losing humidity very quickly. I only have some around a bamboo down at the bottom of my back garden.
I like the use of the slate in the pots. I have only ever used horticultural grit for that purpose.
I use bark chips for my front garden and interestingly enough I put some more down on Wednesday. I had not realised how much the old stuff had faded because when the new stuff went down it looked almost black as it was slightly wet.
Interesting comments about the humidity Dave. Never thought about the slate losing humidity very quickly. I only have some around a bamboo down at the bottom of my back garden.
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Nice effect Cordy with the slate,
The only bugbear is as Dave said the chipped bark gets everywhere as the birds look for worms/insects. My other bugbear is its horrid looking when dry......I love it wet.
Things you don't want hide under the bark like Earwigs/Beetles etc.
Slate for me as a choice.
The only bugbear is as Dave said the chipped bark gets everywhere as the birds look for worms/insects. My other bugbear is its horrid looking when dry......I love it wet.
Things you don't want hide under the bark like Earwigs/Beetles etc.
Slate for me as a choice.
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
I use a bit of slate as weed control around my succulents. I did use gravel but the local cats would dig it up and wreck the plants.
I was thinking of using bark chipping my concern is that the bark would soak up the water and it wouldn't get to the roots of the plants.
I was thinking of using bark chipping my concern is that the bark would soak up the water and it wouldn't get to the roots of the plants.
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Dave Brown wrote:Not sure where the "night" bit comes into the title, do you remove it all during the day. Or sounds like some sort of event you are holding. " Join us for a 'Slate and Bark' party.
I said to the missus "get me a cold beer out the fridge and stick me tea on, its Slate and Bark chippings night" as I drove off from the house to b+q. Got back consumed tea and drank beer whilst partaking in the festivites of laying down the bark She thinks i've lost the plot
Thanks for everyones advice, I rarely see birds in the garden as my two cats are always skulking about so hopefully no astray chippings on the lawn!
I forgot to do my t-rex pot, would that be better with bark or slate?
- The Codfather
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Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
I have had both.......the only one I can see an small issue with is the musa ! the pups will have to work hard to try and push that out of the way.
AKA - Martin
Wish list - Big Palms or Dicksonia antarctica's but open to anything really.....Cash Waiting !
Wish list - Big Palms or Dicksonia antarctica's but open to anything really.....Cash Waiting !
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Don't really want pups in the pot so is that a bad thing?
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
The Codfather wrote:I have had both.......the only one I can see an small issue with is the musa ! the pups will have to work hard to try and push that out of the way.
It seems the pups have no trouble getting the slate out the way
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
Looks great! I use a similar thing but I'm considering removing from my palms as I struggle to know when to water. is there a way around this?
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
I usually water my trachys everynight when its warm, and my washy once a week - never usually check the soil
Re: Slate and Bark chippings night!
The bananas are definetely getting on with the slate and pushing through now
Since barking the Robusta Campbells they've been throwing up loads of new culms, look at all the checkered ones
Bark maintaining the bamboo loving damper soil? or just culm season?
Since barking the Robusta Campbells they've been throwing up loads of new culms, look at all the checkered ones
Bark maintaining the bamboo loving damper soil? or just culm season?