Does anyone have ideas on how to process landscaping bark-mulch into smaller pieces for substrate?

SU2

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I've been really loving pine-bark as a large % of my organic part of my mixes, however I literally sit there at the table and break it up by hand before sifting/sieving for size....this is obviously incredibly inefficient but I've got no other ideas on how to do it.....my only idea really, and I'm hesitant because I don't know how well it'd even work, is to make a DIY drill attachment (kind of like for stirring concrete, only it'd have two blades instead of a 'mixer' at the end) and put small batches of mulch into a bucket, add water to the top of the mulch, and shred it that way - seems like it'd be so erratic that I'd end up with lots of un-touched big pieces, lots of fines, and a small amount of the proper grade....

Any tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks & happy gardening!!
 

WNC Bonsai

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Go to Lowes and buy a bag of Nature’s Helper. Go to hardware store and buy metal mesh fencing material (hardware cloth) in the sizes of particles you desire. I use 1/4” and 1/8”. Make two trays with the screen on the bottom. Shake away. Dump the big stuff in the flower beds and keep the fines for small tree mixes.
 

atlarsenal

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I use a cheap blender from Goodwill. It still takes some time but it works.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Better yet, go to Lowe’s and buy this:
2E9DF996-158D-4DA3-B4A2-EE75358E8CFA.png
It’s pine bark, already in the size you’re looking for.
 

atlarsenal

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The last that I got was mostly dirt and fresh chipped wood.
 

TN_Jim

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Hmm.. I’ll be on the lookout for bad batches. I processed a bag this winter. It came out to about 3 gal. of fines, and ~1.5 cu. ft. usable bark.

I also keep it spread out on a tarp till it’s bone dry...tried drying in the oven, not so much.
 

Toraidento

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Better yet, go to Lowe’s and buy this:
View attachment 188004
It’s pine bark, already in the size you’re looking for.
Yeah Evergreen stuff sucks, but a good soil conditioner is what you want or any Composted Bark. Check with your local Nursery see if they propagate if so you should be able to talk em out of a few 5 gallon buckets of Composted Bark then all you need to do is sieve for size. Around here we have a bunch of mills that process pine trees so finding pine bark isn't a problem just have to compost it
 

erb.75

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I've been really loving pine-bark as a large % of my organic part of my mixes, however I literally sit there at the table and break it up by hand before sifting/sieving for size....this is obviously incredibly inefficient but I've got no other ideas on how to do it.....my only idea really, and I'm hesitant because I don't know how well it'd even work, is to make a DIY drill attachment (kind of like for stirring concrete, only it'd have two blades instead of a 'mixer' at the end) and put small batches of mulch into a bucket, add water to the top of the mulch, and shred it that way - seems like it'd be so erratic that I'd end up with lots of un-touched big pieces, lots of fines, and a small amount of the proper grade....

Any tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks & happy gardening!!
I bought golden trophy premium pine fines this year and it's 100% better than other brands (IMO). You sift out the fines, and left with perfect small bark chips for bonsai the same diameter as the rest of my soil
 

TN_Jim

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Maybe it’s a regional thing.
I sift the evergreen once, perfect.
Golden trophy seems to have some long skinny pieces.
C93CEAC5-6903-44A6-89A7-73CBEE4B88C6.jpeg
 

TN_Jim

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I’m curious what makes others better other than size and sift ratio. What constitutes better quality regarding a bonsai mix? Is a greener conditioner preferable? Some kind of possibly non-treated wood variation?
 

erb.75

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My reference point is the particle size consistency once sifted, and the amount of work to sift it into a good looking particle size. Other than that, many brands are going to be interchangeable I would think
 

Dan92119

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Small sized orchid bark works for me. I have also used orchid seedlings bark.
 

eb84327

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I have had good luck at the pet store for finding bark that is a good sized and clean. I mean it's like 99.9% dust free, found it in the lizard supply isle. Smaller than a pinkie nail. Not sure what type of bark though.
 

Nemoose

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I use Flukers Rep to bark. It is already sized and sifted to the perfect size. It is a little more expensive but much less work.
 

Nemoose

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Mixed with aquarium gravel and a little bit of larger gravel I had laying around0926181002.jpg
 
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