Commercial Pine Bark Product

[pwk5017]

Does anyone use a widely available pine bark product? You would think pine bark in somewhat small particle size(less than an inch and a half) would be an easy find, but I am really struggling to locate ANY source of pine bark. Anyone have a brand or product they have found to work? Thanks.

Patrick

 

[garywood]

Patrick, it's been awhile since I bought any but Sims Soil Conditioner is milled a lot finer and some times composted. When I bought it, it changed every year but the size was somewhat consistent. Check with LOWES or WALMART for conditioner, the brand name could be anything but look for bark.
Wood

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yep...Soil Conditioner = bark around here...

 

[pwk5017]

Awesome, thanks guys. I will have to look more closely, because soil conditioner from what I have seen = peat product. I will try to locate that brand, gary.

 

[Stan Kengai]

I realize I'm not local to you, but I use Evergreen brand "Soil Conditioner". It's chopped pine bark with about 10-20% wood splinters. Here it's available at Lowes, regional nurseries (Pike) and a few small nurseries. I've found the bark to be about 40% <1/16", 40% 1/16 - 1/8", and 20% 1/8 - 1/4". It's so easy to find here, I can't imagine it being that hard to find it or something similar in your neck of the woods. Good luck.

 

[fore]

Lowes here in Chicago stopped carrying pine bark conditioner, only small bark chips which has chunks up to 1". None at H. Depot, Menards or any of the Walmarts around here. Lowes told me they used to carry it but is not this year.

 

[Oliver Muscio]

Same here. At one time, a number of years ago, I was able to find bark soil conditioner at Lowes, but not now, not for some time. I can find it in bulk at a local nursury, if I bring my own container. Now that I now longer have a station wagon (or van, truck or SUV), it is less convenient, having to fit it into the trunk of my car.
Oliver

 

[mcpesq817]

Consider whether you need to use bark or any organic matter in your soil mix. Many people go to a soil-less/inorganic mix with good results.

 

[pwk5017]

Yeah, I have used a combo of perlite and turface without any organic material for the last two years. Each year I experimented with a couple younger plants to see which soil mix did best with me watering once a day(cant do more than that with the old 9-5). The 100% inorganic has done well, and better than those in 30% organic, but I think the 15% organic material mix has done the best. I just need a smidge of organic material to retain moisture for the 20-24 hour period in between waterings.

Looks like southern states carries a product called "mini nuggets" which is pine bark mulch that is under 1.25" I will have to check it out in person.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yeah, I have used a combo of perlite and turface without any organic material for the last two years. Each year I experimented with a couple younger plants to see which soil mix did best with me watering once a day(cant do more than that with the old 9-5). The 100% inorganic has done well, and better than those in 30% organic, but I think the 15% organic material mix has done the best. I just need a smidge of organic material to retain moisture for the 20-24 hour period in between waterings.

Looks like southern states carries a product called "mini nuggets" which is pine bark mulch that is under 1.25" I will have to check it out in person.

I use Evergreen brand too in the rare occasion I use bark, but again, it could be only regionally available.

Also important to note, just because something is inorganic, doesn't mean it can't be retentive. Akadama and lava both hold lots of moisture, and both seem to promote a less anaerobic environment than mixes that include bark.

 

[mcpesq817]

Yeah, I have used a combo of perlite and turface without any organic material for the last two years. Each year I experimented with a couple younger plants to see which soil mix did best with me watering once a day(cant do more than that with the old 9-5). The 100% inorganic has done well, and better than those in 30% organic, but I think the 15% organic material mix has done the best. I just need a smidge of organic material to retain moisture for the 20-24 hour period in between waterings.

Looks like southern states carries a product called "mini nuggets" which is pine bark mulch that is under 1.25" I will have to check it out in person.

Like lava, pumice holds a good amount of water too. You can get it at Southern States usually under Dry Stall (don't get Stall Dry which I believe is powder).

 

[crust]

Funny that's about the % Walter Paul uses, 15% organic that is. He use "rough peat"; a very rough, low fines, nearly un-processed peat; something I have yet to around here. Berger carries a "Super Coarse" type I suspect would be good but I find no one distributing it.

 

[Vance Wood]

I use composted Pine Bark mulch/soil conditioner with no perceptable ill effect. However for those who are considering using any Peat product the stuff has been linked to serious respatory infections that have reportedly caused death. Just a word of caution.