Small/chopped pine bark source?

[Poink88]

Does anyone know of a good source of pine bark (fresh or decomposed) for soil mix?

All I can find here are larger fresh mulch (up to 3" size) and I do not want to waste my time chopping them but really want to add some in my Turface substrate.

I searched Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, and a few local nurseries but cannot find any. Maybe I am just missing it though. Any major supplier sell these in bags? Store, maker, product name, etc. will help a lot. Any leads will be much appreciated.

 

[painter]

ive gotten some from agway, but it needs serious sifting, and there is alot of waste, but that i just put in my flower beds.

 

[rockm]

You're looking for the wrong thing

You have to ask for "soil conditioner" BUT you have to find one that uses composted pine bark as the main ingredient. Soil conditioners are used to lighten up clay-based soils. I've bought Gardner's Pride soil conditioner at Home Depot in 25 lb bags in the garden department over the years. I don't know if they still sell it though.

There are other products out there though:

See 'pine bark fines" here:
http://www.mulchcompany.com/products.php

http://www.kamlar.com/KamPPsoilcond.html
http://www.renewedearth.com/pinebark.html

These particular brands probably aren't available in your area, but they can give you an idea what to look and ask for locally.

 

[Poink88]

You're looking for the wrong thing

I thought so and thus my post LOL.

Thanks a lot!!! I will check this week.

 

[cmeg1]

You should check out a hydroponic grow store and get happy frog soil conditioner.Very good quality composted bark basically.I thought it was way better than the stuff in the hardware stores.And plus has mycorhiza and beneficial bacteria added,as does most of the stuff in a hydro store.There has gotta be one within an hours drive for you.

 

[cmeg1]

You're looking for the wrong thing

You have to ask for "soil conditioner" BUT you have to find one that uses composted pine bark as the main ingredient. Soil conditioners are used to lighten up clay-based soils. I've bought Gardner's Pride soil conditioner at Home Depot in 25 lb bags in the garden department over the years. I don't know if they still sell it though.

There are other products out there though:

See 'pine bark fines" here:
http://www.mulchcompany.com/products.php

http://www.kamlar.com/KamPPsoilcond.html
http://www.renewedearth.com/pinebark.html

These particular brands probably aren't available in your area, but they can give you an idea what to look and ask for locally.

I posted before I seen your post.Great advise!

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Anyone used Nature's Helper soil conditioner that is decomposed peanut shells?

 

[Smoke]

Jimmy Carter selling that?

 

[gergwebber]

I use peanut shells a lot, they are a good carbon source for compost, but I have never used them for bonsai.

If you use them(like I do from hulled peanuts), be sure to leach off any salts before adding them to anything. I crush mine a little with a plate tamper and add it to compost. They have components of varying hardness so some of it decomposes fast and some will sit around for a few years and I believe the worms love the stuff but maybe that's pushing the range of emotions for worms.

 

[mat]

You should check out a hydroponic grow store and get happy frog soil conditioner.Very good quality composted bark basically.I thought it was way better than the stuff in the hardware stores.And plus has mycorhiza and beneficial bacteria added,as does most of the stuff in a hydro store.There has gotta be one within an hours drive for you.

Amazon has that. not cheap though - $19.99 (plus about the same shipping)

http://www.amazon.com/FoxFarm-Happy...NPA6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338982216&sr=8-2

 

[cmeg1]

"amazon has that"
When I needed dyna-rok,my local hydro store had it shipped for me to store.I paid no shipping.I personally would not ship that,way to heavy.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Back to Lowe's or Home Depot. Go into the garden department. Go to where they keep the stuff for growing orchids. You'll find sphagnum moss and bags of fir bark for orchid growing. It is not a lot in a bag, perhaps a gallon or two. It looks just like pine bark and it is in the 1/4 to 3/8" range size. If you need a lot this might not be a good option, if you are just going for some for a couple of trees then it will do quite nicely.

 

[Rose Mary]

I get mine at Lowes...in the section where they have bagged mulches...they have big bags of small pine nuggets for less than $6....they work great.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks for all the leads guys (& gals)!!! I will be revisiting Lowes & Home Depot and hope they carry the suggested products locally.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Jimmy Carter selling that?

Oh that's good. That's reeally good.

I've been to Fresno you know...

 

[augustine]

Poink,

I can get "pine fines" mulch from the Farm Supply store. It has to be sifted but it's plenty cheap and you can use the fines in the garden.

Augustine
Central MD 7a

 

[coppice]

If you really really gotta buy in bulk your local saw mill should have a per-cubic yard price.

Its a deal if you have a pick up, and pick it up your self.

Sift out the big chunks and use them as mulch in paths or around landscape trees.

One cubic yard will fill 3--24 gallon barrels of sifted mulch.

By the time your getting a full dumper load (11 cubic yards) to sift, you'll also need a pshent, a litter, and flail...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

This is the brand I buy from Lowes. It may or not be available in your area...
http://www.lowes.com/pd_97675-66882-97675_0__

 

[Jason_mazzy]

Just bought big bags at home depot. When I called they said they didnt have such a thing as aged or decomposed pine bark. I went by today looking for mugo pines and found this:

soil conditioner
premium usa
aged pine bark fines$3 a bag. This is what you want.

 

[mat]

Just bought big bags at home depot. When I called they said they didnt have such a thing as aged or decomposed pine bark. I went by today looking for mugo pines and found this:

soil conditioner
premium usa
aged pine bark fines$3 a bag. This is what you want.

Jason, where do you live? I don't think it's a mattter of us not knowing what we're looking for at this point. At least for me, the issue is that Home Depot and Lowes don't carry those products here.

I was able to find some at a mulch-only "store" (basically a guy's backyard) at around the $3 price you've mentioned.