What size?

Josh

I think it is the 3/4 in

Can you post a pic of it? I've been there and I think it may not be good if it is the one I am thinking of..

I can't believe how many people in my local area are learning of this mix...The stores will have to cater to us if we stand as an army...

Mike

Hey, Mike!

I checked the link, and the "forest" product doesn't have a size listed. You want bark that is 1/2 inch and less. Nothing larger will do.

Josh

The website it's says they are mini-nuggets, 3/4". I'm going tomorrow, if I can actually find their mulch this time (place is massive) I'll snap a pic.

If it's bigger than 1/2" I could cut it down, right? I know, more work, but if it's good quality (and I can't find anything else..)

Thanks!

Using a chipper-shredder, for example?
You could cut it down, but what a lot of work (unless you have the right tools).

Josh

I was thinking I'd throw it in the Vitamix lol

I was looking at HD, they seem to have a Pine Bark that might work? I'm going to double check it in person tomorrow. It doesn't seem to have dye.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-2-cu-ft-Pine-Bark-Nuggets-363936/202526086?N=5yc1vZbx4aZ1z0vir2#specifications

Both Lowes & HD have Orchid Bark, more money for less bark, but I saw somewhere on the forum someone said it wasn't bad? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-4-qt-Orchid-Bark-5018/202045624?N=5yc1vZbx4aZ1z0vir2

If you cannot find conifer bark for under $3 per cu-ft, I would say forget it. You are better off to bur like faffard, promix.

But if you get chunky bark nuggets and have access to a shredder, you can reduce it to useable size. I have seen report on "Container Gardening" it is done successfully.

Another thing is that you might find something that pieces are 1/2" and smaller but might not be suitable BECAUSE you have to have like 50% smaller than 1/8 of an inch. I know, I found something like that at my local Lowes (Called small nuggets). You can use it ONLY if you add a lot more peat moss. But the I found another stuff called pine bark MULCH. which consists of CRUSHED pine bark. So mixing those two gave me a consistency that I wanted.

Making a 5-1-1 has a learning curve.

What is the desired consistency? How heavy should it be/texture/etc.?

thanks!!

This is the fir bark that I use. It costs me $4.50 per cubic foot, but it is of excellent quality with very little sapwood.

Josh

When mixed with Perlite and Peat-based potting mix, this is what the texture should be.

Josh

this is what I found at Lowes/HD this morning.

If I can't get adequate Pine, Fir is an acceptable substitution?

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:28600}}

Let it dry down and take a look at how much of it is bark (brown pieces that look like what Josh is showing), versus how much is wood (yellow, looks like wood). I think you'll find that this product is not suitable.

I found this at a local gardening center...

Sorry. If that is a quarter in the photo, that bark is too big. Most of it should be less wide than a dime.

It's a Skittle lol

nmr82 - you just go to the Agway in Chelmsford and buy their southern bark mulch. If you are in Mass. that is.

I'm in Framingham. I've got some calls to make, hopefully Needham or Franklin's Agway will have it.

Thanks!

Every Agway in 40 miles is out of the Pine Bark Mulch lol

Sorry to hear about Agway stores in your area being out of pine bark. Members on this forum speak highly of the Agway brand so it seems that word of this bark is spreading.

Will they be getting more bark in or are they sold out of the season? Maybe one of the Agway stores could order you the amount you needed?

TYG

Yeah, that's pretty funny. Never had any trouble getting the Pine Bark Mulch at our Agway...the old unsold pallet of the stuff would sit there all winter...now they are sold out! lol Fortunately I have another source. nmr83 FWIW the mulch in the purple bag looks like the Timberline product. IMO it's pretty bad....large chunks with lot's of sapwood, so stay away if possible.

Yes I agree with this, try to avoid using that Timberline bark in the purple bag. Looked like a lot of sapwood and large chunky pieces. I suppose it could work if that was your only possible option but I would keep looking and try to find something better.

I'm attaching a photo of the unscreened pine bark I use. This is not ideal bark either, but for the 5-1-1 mix it works. The trees I grow seem to like it a lot. I simply take this mix out of the bag and run it through a 1/2" screen. I save everything that passes through the screen, and toss the small amount of larger bark into the garden beds.BTW, this bark was a bit wet when I took the photo.

If I were making the gritty mix I'd have to screen out the fine material as well.

TYG

As have posted in other thread I get two kinds of bark products:

1- small nuggets (=1/4"). So this one doe not have enough fine but nuggets size is acceptable.

2- Pine Bark Mulch: This is crushed (maybe partly composted) pine bar. It contains 1/4" down to peat moss like structure.

So by mixing them I get a perfect structure for 5-1-1

I have a picture of them side by side

the_yard_guy: it sounds like the closest one to me is sold out for the season, the next closest might get some in next week. I'm probably going to try hitting up a few more places this weekend.

I didn't get the purple bag :) I'm still looking around :)

thanks all!

I stopped at another nursery today, they had pine bark mulch from the Jolly Gardener, it was a bit hard to see inside the bag so I passed.

I stopped at another nursery today, they had pine bark mulch from the Jolly Gardener, it was a bit hard to see inside the bag so I passed.