Seeking pine bark experience.

[Mike Corazzi]

This coming repot season, I ...MUST..... devise a soil that will LAST !!! I have had it with decomposing akadama. And even the akadama MIX available at the bonsai nursery has gone rogue this year.
Inconsistent. Some trees it has remained ok and others...well... no need to continue..........

There is no local source of pine bark small pieces.
I have a suspicion that had I used it with my infamous late Scots, it may have lived.

Anyhow.......... I googled pine bark for bonsai and I see two that seem interesting.
Superfly and Bonsai Jack. Superfly's blurb suggests that being aged, it will last a loonnnnnggggg time. No mention of duration in the Bonsai Jack info.
So... Any suggestions?

Next: Should the pine bark be distributed throughout the soil mix evenly or is it better to concentrate more at top or bottom?
I think I would be mixing by "eye" unless there is an accepted % that's pretty universal.

All info appreciated.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Isn’t fir bark supposed to outlast pine bark for planting?
I’ve read this, but can’t say from experience.

 

[rockm]

This coming repot season, I ...MUST..... devise a soil that will LAST !!! I have had it with decomposing akadama. And even the akadama MIX available at the bonsai nursery has gone rogue this year.
Inconsistent. Some trees it has remained ok and others...well... no need to continue..........

There is no local source of pine bark small pieces.
I have a suspicion that had I used it with my infamous late Scots, it may have lived.

Anyhow.......... I googled pine bark for bonsai and I see two that seem interesting.
Superfly and Bonsai Jack. Superfly's blurb suggests that being aged, it will last a loonnnnnggggg time. No mention of duration in the Bonsai Jack info.
So... Any suggestions?

Next: Should the pine bark be distributed throughout the soil mix evenly or is it better to concentrate more at top or bottom?
I think I would be mixing by "eye" unless there is an accepted % that's pretty universal.

All info appreciated.

Bark should be mixed throughout the soil, just as another soil component. Best pine bark to use is composted bark. It can be sold as "soil conditioner" used by landscapers to break up clay soils. Poke around landscaping supply--use ONLY the stuff marked as composted pine bark (usually listed in small print)
You will have to sift the stuff as well...but not too much since you will break it down too much.

Amazon.com : 3 Gal. Aged Fine Composted Fir Bark for Cactus & Succulent, Bonsai Tree Soil Mix - Organic Additive : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : 3 Gal. Aged Fine Composted Fir Bark for Cactus & Succulent, Bonsai Tree Soil Mix - Organic Additive : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Another alternative is the smallest orchid bark grades. It tends to be more expensive but it works pretty well and doesn't break down very quickly. "Small" is relative with this stuff. Some is too chunky. Something like the link below is in the ballpark, however--the perlite isn't ideal however..

https://www.amazon.com/Orchid-Potting-Perlite-Drainage-Retention/dp/B097RR7DVK/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=bark+chips+for+orchids&qid=1663166370&sr=8-6

 

[August44]

Bonsai Jacks has his website set up so you can see the amount of all products that are in his mixes. His bark used to be individual little pieces but now is more of a combination of all sizes. He has also changed his screening and washing methods and his soils are not as good IMO.

 

[August44]

Bark should be mixed throughout the soil, just as another soil component. Best pine bark to use is composted bark. It can be sold as "soil conditioner" used by landscapers to break up clay soils. Poke around landscaping supply--use ONLY the stuff marked as composted pine bark (usually listed in small print)
You will have to sift the stuff as well...but not too much since you will break it down too much.

Amazon.com : 3 Gal. Aged Fine Composted Fir Bark for Cactus & Succulent, Bonsai Tree Soil Mix - Organic Additive : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : 3 Gal. Aged Fine Composted Fir Bark for Cactus & Succulent, Bonsai Tree Soil Mix - Organic Additive : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Another alternative is the smallest orchid bark grades. It tends to be more expensive but it works pretty well and doesn't break down very quickly. "Small" is relative with this stuff. Some is too chunky. Something like the link below is in the ballpark, however--the perlite isn't ideal however..

https://www.amazon.com/Orchid-Potting-Perlite-Drainage-Retention/dp/B097RR7DVK/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=bark+chips+for+orchids&qid=1663166370&sr=8-6

I doubt very much if any of this bark is composted either. I have heard that they heat it up to make it look that way. It also looks like the "composted" has a lot of very fine particles in it that I would not want in a mix. Just MO.

 

[rockm]

I doubt very much if any of this bark is composted either. I have heard that they heat it up to make it look that way. It also looks like the "composted" has a lot of very fine particles in it that I would not want in a mix. Just MO.

Like i said, sifting it is a must. Whatever about the composted. Not a deal killer. I've used stuff like this when I was making my own soil. Works well. This is only an example. There are others that don't have as much fine component content. Some is straight pine bark that is decomposed--I used to buy 25 lb bags of pine bark soil conditioner at Lowes for $7.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I doubt very much if any of this bark is composted either. I have heard that they heat it up to make it look that way. It also looks like the "composted" has a lot of very fine particles in it that I would not want in a mix. Just MO.

I looked at the picture, too. Same concern. It looks like it would not be as good for fast drainage as the small PIECES mentioned in OP.
If that packed up on me, I think I'd be in big trouble.

 

[Cajunrider]

For me I buy the soil conditioner at the big hardware stores which contains mostly pine bark. I simply screen it using the cheap pond basket bought at Lowes and the particle size is just about right for bonsai soil for me.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I've been using HapiGro 100% organic compost from Lowes for 7 years. Depending on the batch, I usually get about 60% usable particles in the 1/16" to 1/4" range. It appears to be mainly pine bark. The fines and the big pieces go into my homemade potting mix which works very well for bald cypress. 60% return on a bag that costs less than $4.00 is plenty good in my eyes. The particles seem to last well between repottings and they hold water and nutrients well in my climate.

 

[Colorado]

Why would you use pine bark if your complaint is the soil breaking down? Pine bark will absolutely break down, probably faster than akadama in some scenarios.

 

[hemmy]

There is no local source of pine bark small pieces.

The Professional orchid seedling bark from Kellogg Garden Products was my favorite when I could find it at the Green Thumb Nursery in Ventura. Uniform size, minimal dust, almost entirely bark, which I think was pine. It was ~$16 for a 2 cu.ft. bag. They have a website, maybe you could get a pallet shipped your way.

 

[rockm]

Why would you use pine bark if your complaint is the soil breaking down? Pine bark will absolutely break down, probably faster than akadama in some scenarios.

Got a point there...

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Got a point there...

well hell.

I guess I'll use my regular bonsai mix and load it with a lot more lava.

 

[M. Frary]

This coming repot season, I ...MUST..... devise a soil that will LAST !!! I have had it with decomposing akadama. And even the akadama MIX available at the bonsai nursery has gone rogue this year.
Inconsistent. Some trees it has remained ok and others...well... no need to continue..........

There is no local source of pine bark small pieces.
I have a suspicion that had I used it with my infamous late Scots, it may have lived.

Anyhow.......... I googled pine bark for bonsai and I see two that seem interesting.
Superfly and Bonsai Jack. Superfly's blurb suggests that being aged, it will last a loonnnnnggggg time. No mention of duration in the Bonsai Jack info.
So... Any suggestions?

Next: Should the pine bark be distributed throughout the soil mix evenly or is it better to concentrate more at top or bottom?
I think I would be mixing by "eye" unless there is an accepted % that's pretty universal.

All info appreciated.

It's been a while. I'm sad to hear about the Scots pine.
I liked it.
Yeah Akadama as a soil substrate isn't for everyone.
As for pine bark I'm not into that either.

 

[M. Frary]

well hell.

I guess I'll use my regular bonsai mix and load it with a lot more lava.

That's what I'd do. But just remember watering may change too.

 

[nuttiest]

Not sure why we can't get this pine bark mulch anymore at the stores, now you have to ship from ace. pine mulch
It is uncomposted but that is the good part, slightly waxy still and therefore drains faster than old mulch. It is 1/4-3/8" shred. Mixed with 10% big grain sand makes a nice training mix.