A whole lotta shakin' goin' on!

[CWTurner]

Despite storing up on soil last fall, I can already see that I'll need lots more this spring, as I had to pot up a giant that I collected last weekend.

So it was sifting time again today: Pine Bark. Which is a mindless task and I got to thinking... Is there a preferred method of sifting that saves time/muscle? Large to small, small to large?

What I do is sift out everything larger than 1/4".
Then sift out everything larger than 1/8" from what was left.
Then sift out everything larger than window screen from what's left and toss the remainder in my mulch pile.

That means that I sifted the smallest stuff 3 times, and there tends to be a lot of the small stuff in this mix. But if I sift with a window screen first I'm sifting everything over those tiny holes which takes a long time too.

Short of making my teenage son do it, does anyone have an opinion on the best way to do this?
CW

 

[Ironbeaver]

What about something like this? It would probably even scale down to a tabletop version.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/hom...-and-why-on-earth-you-would-want-to-17246926/

 

[Ironbeaver]

Okay, I just found this:

which is out of production, but it would probably be easy to build one with a utility bucket, some screens and some ingenuity for the handle and bracket. Even put three screens in at different layers so it grades all at the same time.

 

[ysrgrathe]

You could probably adapt a food mill to create the hand-operated model, but it doesn't seem to offer the type of time savings that a large, motor-operated unit would convey.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

I don't sift. Shoot me.

 

[jomawa]

does anyone have an opinion on the way to do this?

NOTE: edited "best" from your quote. Am still in the just pondering mode of how I would tend to sift particles.

My design is to stack three screens, finest on bottom, mid grade in middle, coarse on top to sift all at same time. Make screens with 1x2" (1x1", 1x3" ?) edging (wood can be salvaged pallet(s)). Screen tray width x length can be 1 foot square, or 2 foot, 3? or rectangular, but make each bordered screen the same size.

Still using 1x2" material (from pallets?) make a screen tray rack with wood cleats for each shelf for tray removal/dumping. 4 - 1x2 legs and enough support pieces to hold all three trays including some cross bracing, and strong enough to withstand shaking. Can also fix top tray in place to the stand for greater stability when shaking for screening or not fixed in place for total interchangability of trays.

To actually do the sifting, lay down cheap tarp (or spendy if you want), set rack with trays on tarp and load with manageable amount of particulate. Shake, dump, repeat, shake, du.......

I'm thinking two foot square is about right for the volume I would do, (if/when I sift).

 

[jomawa]

What about something like this? It would probably even scale down to a tabletop version.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/hom...-and-why-on-earth-you-would-want-to-17246926/

Dang, I was still using that crawdad pot. But that is a great use for it too.

 

[Adair M]

Here ya go:

 

[sorce]

Napa #8822....

I realized there are no large particles.

I use the small screen, and put Fines in the garbage.

Medium screen, what goes thru is for accents, what stays up is for trees.

I used the big screen to take the rocks out of my concrete. I use those for drainage.
And for the top.

Thinking about doing it easier drives me crazy. Not needing to separate large particles makes it easy!

F Bark!

Sorce

 

[just.wing.it]

Here ya go:

That's great...
Redneck inventions... In my neighborhood, as a kid, we always said, "just cuz it's ghetto, don't mean it don't work!"

 

[Milly]

Here ya go:

LOL

 

[M. Frary]

I don't sift. Shoot me.

I don't sift either. Bring a big gun.

 

[aml1014]

I don't sift either. Bring a big gun.

Yay we all don't sift, looks like we can start a gang! Lmao

Aaron

 

[Adair M]

Yay we all don't sift, looks like we can start a gang! Lmao

Aaron

Yeah,

And you don't have to floss, or even brush your teeth! In the short term, it doesn't make much difference. In the long run, you'll find out that it does!

Same thing with sifting soil. The Pros do it. There's got to be a reason. It's a pain to do. Do they do it because it's "elitest"? To show off their superiority?

No, they do it because it works. It makes better root systems. In the long run.

Will you kill your trees if you don't sift? No. Will you build better root systems if you do? The Pros think so.

The choice is yours.

 

[M. Frary]

The Pros think so.

But do they know so?

 

[Adair M]

But do they know so?

Only from years of experience. And positive results:

 

[aml1014]

Yeah,

And you don't have to floss, or even brush your teeth! In the short term, it doesn't make much difference. In the long run, you'll find out that it does!

Same thing with sifting soil. The Pros do it. There's got to be a reason. It's a pain to do. Do they do it because it's "elitest"? To show off their superiority?

No, they do it because it works. It makes better root systems. In the long run.

Will you kill your trees if you don't sift? No. Will you build better root systems if you do? The Pros think so.

The choice is yours.

Move on down here to the high desert southwest, where in the summer the days are always in the 90s oh and best part the only time it goes above 15% humidity in the growing season is when it rains, which isn't a lot. I love the soil wars because as we always say, all of our climates are different. If I sift I'm watering 3 times a day in summer which is not ideal when you work 55 hours a week, but without sifting I'm able to go down to twice a day for my deciduous and once for the conifers which I'm able to water in the morning around 5:45am and again around 1:30pm on my lunch break. I've never had a problem with root rot since I use large particle pumice and fir bark, only this year am I beginning experimenting with DE. The choice is mine, and my choice is being able to have a life outside of my backyard.
Thanks for your concern though lol
Aaron

 

[Adair M]

Move on down here to the high desert southwest, where in the summer the days are always in the 90s oh and best part the only time it goes above 15% humidity in the growing season is when it rains, which isn't a lot. I love the soil wars because as we always say, all of our climates are different. If I sift I'm watering 3 times a day in summer which is not ideal when you work 55 hours a week, but without sifting I'm able to go down to twice a day for my deciduous and once for the conifers which I'm able to water in the morning around 5:45am and again around 1:30pm on my lunch break. I've never had a problem with root rot since I use large particle pumice and fir bark, only this year am I beginning experimenting with DE. The choice is mine, and my choice is being able to have a life outside of my backyard.
Thanks for your concern though lol
Aaron

Hmmm

Most pumice I've seen is pretty smooth, not a lot of nooks and crannies. Which hold water. In fact, I believe it's an ingredient known to enhance drainage, and not retain water.

Lava, scoria, on the other hand has lots of nooks and crannies, and holds water better.

You might consider replacing the pumice with lava for your environment.

MarkyScott is the geologist and could give you a more expert opinion than I.

But I still believe that adding fines and intentionally blocking drainage is the wrong answer to your water retention issue.

Akadama, by the way, also retains water.

 

[aml1014]

Hmmm

Most pumice I've seen is pretty smooth, not a lot of nooks and crannies. Which hold water. In fact, I believe it's an ingredient known to enhance drainage, and not retain water.

Lava, scoria, on the other hand has lots of nooks and crannies, and holds water better.

You might consider replacing the pumice with lava for your environment.

MarkyScott is the geologist and could give you a more expert opinion than I.

But I still believe that adding fines and intentionally blocking drainage is the wrong answer to your water retention issue.

Akadama, by the way, also retains water.

I don't care for lava as it damages my tools on occasion, and akadama turns to Mudd when we have 40 degree temp swings in winter. I'll admit I'm unorthodox, but then again so is my climate.

Aaron

 

[drew33998]

I don't sift either. Bring a big gun.

I don't sift either. Bring a small knife