Pine vs fir

[Breeze46]

Any suggestions on the advantage or disadvantage of using fir bark over pine bark for an organic addition to soil?

 

[crust]

Fir is warmer somehow. Pine makes me yearn. For me, in my climate (which is usually cool during TP time),having the beginnings of decomposition and a moistness in them is important. I find that the root ball is immediately happier and more likely to grow. Conifer barks, when fresh, contain resin and wax not really conducive to life until broke down. That said many growers use the stuff straight and dry like dogs also claiming fir lasts longer in a warm environ. Firs ground nodules are different too, usually corkier. I use pine/who knows what becuase I get a stuff called Fafards soil conditioner--which is decomposed bark stuff. I laboriously dry it some and sift it--which sucks. I re-wet it some before use, sometimes using a wetting agent and usually inoculate it with myco and some fish emulsion...because I can. Those that use conifer bark dry are ruthless dirty people.

 

[Potawatomi13]

From painful experience I understand one of these is full of miserable little slivers you don't want to get in your skin. Several years ago I walked barefoot in freshly mulched motel flower bed and got my feet full of the miserable things. Ask your garden supply place about this. I can not remember which it was.

 

[wireme]

From painful experience I understand one of these is full of miserable little slivers you don't want to get in your skin. Several years ago I walked barefoot in freshly mulched motel flower bed and got my feet full of the miserable things. Ask your garden supply place about this. I can not remember which it was.

That would be Fir, I've never had much issue with the bark chunks but peeling bark off fir logs and wrestling them onto a sawmill deck in a tee-shirt, forearms get full of those damn tiny sliver hair things, you don't feel them for a while then it starts to suck. Cedar does it a bit too, pine no, fir is the worst.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Many thanks. I will avoid like the plague!

 

[aml1014]

Many thanks. I will avoid like the plague!

I use fir bark and I've never had that problem, I just use orchid bark since it's already uniform in size and shape.

Aaron

 

[Stan Kengai]

Fir bark is superior due to its "round" shape, whereas pine is "flat". This helps the soil geometry maintain its aerating properties. Fir also seems to last longer in my climate.

 

[Arcto]

The fir that I've run into with all the irritating tiny slivers is Doug Fir. The primary timber species in the area. Grand Fir may end up in the pile too, but is a minor component. I switched to hemlock bark a year ago. Pretty sliver free. Also it's available as red or dark colored. Dark is simply the aged stuff they didn't sell last year.

 

[crust]

I have heard that hemlock bark is superior, I have a buddy that covets it...but then a lot of people swear by the nodulaity of fir. Years ago I remember some coastal practitioners have gotten fir bark that is salty--evidently the logs had been floated in the sea. Corncobs are the latest way to go. Some unsanctioned-by-the-bonzo-mafia coastal hippies have been using used chopped disposable diapers with good effect, but no more than 20%. Fights over this stuff at subsidized housing dumpsters has been fierce in Southern California--its a weird world.