sfhellwig
Mame
I want to share what I have found about soil mixes and making your own but that is not what this thread is about. To stay on topic I imagine boiling the bark would be the worst thing for it. I understand where you're going but it would likely sterilize and actually set back the composting process. Someone else said that all organic material is composting to some degree. I know that when I knock out a dead tree or re-pot something what comes out sure looks more like dirt than the bark mix I put in. I guess that is the reason for the trend toward purely inorganic, the stability for 2-3 years between re-potting. I buy mine straight off the shelf, sift multiple times and use it. Not that I have lots of experience making me a trusted source but I have been doing this mixing for a few years and it performs as well or better than what I can get off the shelf.
As for getting the right stuff in the first place. It does sound like the one fellow had "nuggets". Someone mentioned the conditioner which sounds like the "Scotsmsn's Choice Organic Compost" that I add to my other bark. It looks like large chain saw chunks and is nice minus the fines. I used to get chipped bark from the local nursery but they always get it in too late and pull it early at the end of the season for personal use. The two times a year I want to buy it. So I found that I can use the pine bark mulch from, uh oh, Home Depot and Wal-Mart. We just have to be smart about what we buy there. Mine is a company called "Green Country" and comes from Springfield, MO so I guess that's almost local. I run it through 1/2" screen and use the big stuff to mulch pathways. Whats left can go straight for "nursery mix" or i can run it through a 1/4" screen and window screen to get a fairly small and consistent product for mixing for bonsai soil.
From there I mix it and use it. When I get it back it looks more like dirt. So I think anymore composting and you might be cutting yourself short on the usefullness of your product.
As for getting the right stuff in the first place. It does sound like the one fellow had "nuggets". Someone mentioned the conditioner which sounds like the "Scotsmsn's Choice Organic Compost" that I add to my other bark. It looks like large chain saw chunks and is nice minus the fines. I used to get chipped bark from the local nursery but they always get it in too late and pull it early at the end of the season for personal use. The two times a year I want to buy it. So I found that I can use the pine bark mulch from, uh oh, Home Depot and Wal-Mart. We just have to be smart about what we buy there. Mine is a company called "Green Country" and comes from Springfield, MO so I guess that's almost local. I run it through 1/2" screen and use the big stuff to mulch pathways. Whats left can go straight for "nursery mix" or i can run it through a 1/4" screen and window screen to get a fairly small and consistent product for mixing for bonsai soil.
From there I mix it and use it. When I get it back it looks more like dirt. So I think anymore composting and you might be cutting yourself short on the usefullness of your product.