Am i understanding this correctly ?

My understanding from the internet is that you shouldnt put compost close to the trunk of a plant

However you can put soil and wood chips in contact with the trunk of a plant . is this correct , why is this

What is thinking behind soil mixed with compost in terms of whether this can be put close to the trunk of a plant as i want to apply a layer of that around some plants

 

I suppose it all depends on what type of compost and what type of plant. Very very wet compost put up against a young, tender plant might rot the plant, maybe. And deep, thick compost of any kind pressed up against a plum tree, for example, for a long time might cause it to send out suckers, which you wouldn’t want.

 

Its compost from a bag so its dry but i put water on it so its wet now . I was putting it around lots of different plants as i scrape off a little bit from the top and put some compost on

 

The general rule is that you don't put anything in contact with woody material. So for a tree or shrub, you keep the base clear of any mulch, compost, soil or anything you wish to put there. Some plants don't care but some are more susceptible to problems if the stems are wet.

 

This is a quote from the RHS guide to mulching:

• Leave a gap around woody stems Keep a 10cm (4in) mulch-free circle around any woody stems. Mulch can stay damp and cause rotting if it’s piled up around the base of shrubs and trees.