I think you have to research which plants can be covered and which ones need the mulch pulled away from their stems. My glads like to be buried by mulch each fall from what I've been reading. That's if I understand that correctly. Marigolds also like to be mostly buried in mulch come late fall after they have finished blooming. But I think it's the roses you have to pull the mulch way from the stem. But I just got my first rose so I'm not absolutely positive on that one either lol.

Most bulbs are able to push thru that
type of bark...
*remember alot of them, ie; Daffodil's, anemone's, grape hyancynth's can naturalize
wonderfully* so if they were out in your grass, lawn, wooded understories....they are equipped
to poke right thru anything to get up to the
surface, and where they choose to come out
is the place that their stem needs to come
out of the soil..

The only thing I would say, is not to layer it
on toooo thick.. as some bulbs should be planted
at a certain depth *ballpark~depending on the
size of the bulb* and if they become planted tooo deep, they may struggle to get to the top and
then the blooming cycle is deminish..

So, you can put the mulch on, just don't got
too deep..

And Tammy's absolutely correct about wanting mulch up to the stem and or base of any plant..
as it invites buggies.. not really all that bad buggies, but one's that like to eat decaying things, cause that's what that mulch will do is
decay, and those bugs help in the decomposing part...but if the stem of the plant is too tight
to the mulch, it becomes unhappy and may start to rot or stress out which invites the bad buggies..

A good rule of thumb to remember is definately up to the drip line of the plant..*that would be where when the plant is at it's tallest growth and when it rains or watered on by a hose or watering can, that the water drips on to the plant and rolls off the leaves on to the ground,
that is where the drip line is on the ground..

Then as it gets closer to the plant/stem, really
put a very thin layer under it and never touching.. Leave a reasonable distance from the stem all the way around it in a circle..
depending on the plant..

And

quote:

---

I know it sounds really daft, but as a new gardener, im learning all the time

---

Don't ever feel funny about asking any question, we were all new gardeners at some point, we all had to learn at some point, and WE ALL are STILL LEARNING to some point..
I read and garden alot, but I LEARN EVERYDAY FROM OTHER GARDENER'S OF TIPS AND TRICKS AND TRADE'S THEY APPLY TO THEIR GARDEN...and gardening has no set of certain rules.. what works for one, may not for others, and we all have to play and *my favorite word, besides compost is ~~~>EXPERIMENT.
So, don't hesitate to ask, we always love to help the new gardener, and hope someday, once you grow yourself in knowledge and confidence you'll also help the new gardeners *and plants* too...

* * * *
Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





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