Methods for harvesting pine/fur bark in the wild

[Siguy]

Ok guys. I see that I'm going to havest more fur/pine bark for the making of new soils for pre-bonsai.

So far, the method that I tried today is as follows. Bucket in one hand, I use my other hand to rub up and down the tree catching some bark and the horizontal branches, I locate the bucket beneath then rub.

I'm not collecting a bunch, but I realize that I will need quite a bit more. Doesn't seem that efficient to me.

Two questions:

1.) What methods do you use?
2.) Is bark collected in this manner considered unscreened?

Kind Regards,

 

[jkd2572]

Why not just buy from the store already bagged up for you. It's pretty cheap.

 

[Siguy]

Why not just buy from the store already bagged up for you. It's pretty cheap.

Sorry. Not exactly sure where I'd find it around here.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Lowes or Home Depot. It's usually labeled pine bark soil conditioner, mini fines, or some combo of those words. I've never heard of anyone actually collecting pine bark from the wild.

 

[Siguy]

Lowes or Home Depot. It's usually labeled pine bark soil conditioner, mini fines, or some combo of those words. I've never heard of anyone actually collecting pine bark from the wild.

Like mine fresh

I'll consider that route. Alot of tree rubbing to only cover the bottom of the 5 gal. bucket. heh.heh.

 

[wireme]

I collect my organics from the forest around me. You know those half buried mostly decayed logs, almost decayed to soil level with moss and seedlings growing in them? Old stumps and around the base of old trees too.

The material known as redrot in the tree planting industry.

I collect that, break it up with my hands, quite easily and sift it. I grow some Doug fir so I check the area for armillaria root rot fungus before collecting, you could pasteurize before using too. Old burnt decayed logs are nice for the charcoal too.

Be aware, as far as I know it's an untested material except by me. I've repotted quite a few trees after 3-4 year with this stuff in the mix and been pleased with tree and root health so far. It's surprisingly slow to break down in my climate, maybe it's mostly carbon.

Pics of a bagful and chunks after sifting.

 

[jkd2572]

You want it composted and that's what soil conditioner is. Look for descriptions that say composted pine bark. Super cheap stuff.

 

[bonsaiBlake]

landscaping supply places are a good as well. Most have many different sizes and types of bark, not to mention other media, lava rock, granit, ect. They'll usually sell it pretty cheap, just bring a few 5gal buckets and stock up. Best to get the finer stuff at the bottom of the large piles, especially the lava rock.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Sweet tip Wireme. That red rot looks like quality stuff.

I'd worry about bringing home termites, but that is just my personal aptitude for bad luck. I am excited about what my vermi-compost bin is about to start churning out for my future organic components.

 

[Siguy]

Thanks for all the helpful posts.

My "hand-picked" bark should be just fine though, no? Seems to me, that it would decompose less quickly than the already decompossing mulched stuff. I thought it was for soil airation and drainage and slow decompositional values., etc...

 

[bonsaiBlake]

decomposition is important, it allows minerals and nutrients to breakdown into a form the plants can actually use. reason why trees grow on nurse stumps, and why a compost pile is more effective than just throwing old food and debris onto plants.

 

[M. Frary]

Like mine fresh

I'll consider that route. Alot of tree rubbing to only cover the bottom of the 5 gal. bucket. heh.heh.

Man. That's some funny stuff right there! I got tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. Fresh rubbed bark! Haaa haha

 

[wireme]

Sweet tip Wireme. That red rot looks like quality stuff.

I'd worry about bringing home termites, but that is just my personal aptitude for bad luck. I am excited about what my vermi-compost bin is about to start churning out for my future organic components.

When I'm in a worrying state of mind me too, root weavils, boring insects, fungal pathogens etc..

So far no problems I'm aware of have arisen.

 

[Siguy]

Man. That's some funny stuff right there! I got tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. Fresh rubbed bark! Haaa haha

Indeed. Seemed all so common sense to me after looking at the pine. Man don't know what a man don't know.

Reminds me of the wife that asked her husband to peel 1/2 the potatoes. She comes back, looks inside the pot and finds 1/2 the potatos peeled, as requested. Every potato had exactly 1/2 a side peeled. (rubs hands, thinks "Job done!")

 

[M. Frary]

Not laughing at you dude! Not at all. Just struck me as hilarious. " Like mine fresh". Simply awesome! Thank you for the chuckle. Keep up the good work.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Come to think of it, I heard second hand confirmed, that a trusted member of my local club, swore by a raw banana peel somewhere in a black pine repot. A littl too fresh for me.

 

[bonsaiBlake]

Come to think of it, I heard second hand confirmed, that a trusted member of my local club, swore by a raw banana peel somewhere in a black pine repot. A littl too fresh for me.

Funny you mention that I've been considering using either some banana fruit(dryed) or peels mixed into my soil to add some potasium.

 

[Siguy]

Rubbed me some more fresh bark today. Still need more

 

[armetisius]

Rubbed me some more fresh bark today. Still need more

Hey they just told you to get out more. I have not set foot in the woods without a five gallon bucket, a shovel [heavy bladed sharp-shooter], and shears in more years than I can remember. A walk through the afternoon has never failed to yield some bark, some moss, and occasionally a seedling of something I haven't grown before. Take an afternoon and go see what you can find. I love old fallen trees 'cause they always have that thick collar around the base of [usually] easy to remove chunks that have to be broken somewhat just to fit the bucket. Good hunting.

 

[M. Frary]

My job has me in the woods everyday. I actually stuff cool looking moss into my empty sandwich baggie from lunch to bring home. If I needed to collect pine bark I wouldn't rub it off. I use a saw probably a chain saw and shave it off the side of a log. Not a standing tree but a pine,spruce or for log that's been cut down.
But I hear the freshest stuff comes off of the sides of live trees. All is needed is rubbing! Too funny in so many ways.