Is bark mulch suitable for lavender plants

Sun‑bleached Provençal hills show lavender thrives on lean, quick‑draining soils. At first glance a bark blanket, moisture‑holding by nature, seems ill‑suited. Yet in Britain, where sudden downpours follow muggy heat, a skim of medium pine chips can help rather than hinder. Spread no thicker than three centimetres, the mulch blunts muddy splash, curbs weed seedlings, and still lets rain dive through its airy weave. Coarser pieces cushion roots against late frosts without harbouring standing water, so woody crowns stay sound.

Choose bark with few fines; dusty crumbs can matt and repel showers. AHS LTD supplies a screened grade that keeps pores open. Before mulching, fork in a scant scattering of chipped limestone to maintain the mildly alkaline soil lavender relishes, then water once so chips settle. Leave a handspan gap round each stem to stop damp collars. Through the season test moisture with a finger and irrigate only when compost below the mulch feels dry; aromatic oils intensify under slight stress. Each spring, brush aside bleached shards, tip them onto shrub beds, and renew the pot‑pourri‑coloured layer. Used judiciously, bark mulch tempers our capricious climate, suppresses annual weeds, and keeps purple spikes upright, happily buzzing with bees all summer long.