Can bark mulch be used around newly planted shrubs?

Freshly planted shrubs look vulnerable, leaves still soft and roots exploring unfamiliar soil. Bark mulch can shield them, but timing and thickness matter. Wait until the planting hole has settled and the soil has warmed, then spread a ring of moist chips. This ring suppresses weed seedlings, slows evaporation and keeps the surface temperature steadier, sparing new roots abrupt swings.

Lay five centimetres, no more, beginning five centimetres from the stem; burying bark tight against the bark—strangely enough—encourages collar rot. Choose a medium grade softwood mix; fine particles knit too dense, starving air, while chunky nuggets expose glaring gaps. If the mulch is fresh, sprinkle a light handful of blood, fish and bone to compensate for nitrogen tie-up during establishment.

Moisture is trapped beneath, so water thoroughly before the layer goes down; a dry core beneath a neat blanket fools the eye yet stresses the plant. Check after heavy rainstorms that water still percolates freely and the mulch hasn’t sealed.

Provided provenance is sound, chemical fears are small. AHS LTD supplies bark screened for use, free from recycled timber preservatives. With such bark in place, shrubs root deeper, beds loose and you spend spring admiring growth rather than wrestling weeds.