Was listening to Flower Pot phone in on Radio Sheffield today,and they were saying that if you lay a few inches of tree bark chippings around your flower beds,it stops all the weeds coming up.Is this so ?

It doesn't stop them completely, but if you clear the ground before you lay it, then it both reduces the number of weeds that germinate and makes the ones that do come through really easy to pull out complete with their roots.

It works for a while but then it rots down and provides a lovely bed for the weeds, unless you are a keen gardener and keep on top of it. :thumbsup:

It doesn't stop them completely, but if you clear the ground before you lay it, then it both reduces the number of weeds that germinate and makes the ones that do come through really easy to pull out complete with their roots.
Do you mean weed it all,then put the tree bark chippings down ? I think that may be well worth doing next spring.

It keeps the major weeding down to once or twice a year if you work it into the soil and top it up every couple of years.

It keeps the major weeding down to once or twice a year if you work it into the soil and top it up every couple of years.
Thanks thats great,worth doing. :thumbsup:

Also good for maintaining the moisture in the soil especially during very hot/dry spells!

:thumbsup:

I tried putting down a layer of bark on the flowerbeds around our pond and it worked a treat - the beds were absolutely plagued with weeds but now it's just a case of pulling out the odd one here and there! :thumbsup:

I tried putting down a layer of bark on the flowerbeds around our pond and it worked a treat - the beds were absolutely plagued with weeds but now it's just a case of pulling out the odd one here and there! :thumbsup:
Thats good tracy,also the poster before you said that it kept her(or his) garden very moist.

I used lots of bark chippings in my previous garden - very successful for keeping down the weeds and gives a nice, neat appearance. Only down side was that it gave the slugs & snails somewhere to hide.

Only down side was that it gave the slugs & snails somewhere to hide.
and dont forget the cat poop!!

ah ! fortunately I had two very active doggies (sadly no longer around) so no cat was ever foolish enough to step foot in our garden.