Return to the Container Gardening Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
Posted by
ykerzner 9 TX (
My Page) on
Fri, May 20, 11 at 16:59
I found this pine bark mulch at a local nursery (Cornelius). It says that it's aged and composted. Would the accelerated decomposition be a problem with longevity in the 5-1-1 mix?
|
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
| You *want* aged and composted for the 5:1:1. I would use that product as it is, though you could conceivably improve it by filtering out the largest pieces. |
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
- Posted by tapla z5b-6a mid-MI (My Page) on
Fri, May 20, 11 at 21:22
| Should work great as it is in the 5:1:1 and you could screen it for the gritty mix. Al |
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
- Posted by ltruett Zone 9 Houston (My Page) on
Fri, May 20, 11 at 23:21
| Nice. How much was the bag? |
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
| Holy crap, I just realized you were in Houston! Great find, I'll have to pick some up and try it. As an alternative, I've been using the Hapi-Gro landscapers mix from Lowe's, and it's working really well. 3 dollars and change, forget the exact price. The ingredients are listed as (100% landscapers mix)... it almost feels like a practical joke. I called the company and they confirmed it's just pine bark, though it's totally possible there are other additives. It has a lot of fine material, so I don't even use any peat - just the mix, and perlite. |
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
| Greentiger, I have some of the Hapi-Gro mix (top pic) too and I didn't think it was that good. It seemed too fine/decomposed. My brother got the same exact product (bottom pic) in the dallas area and was different. What did yours look like? 
|
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
| It is pretty fine, which is why I don't use any peat.. but the fact that its partially decomposed is a good thing (correct me if I'm wrong, Al). Fine material and even "dust" provide water retention, and the partial decomposition reduces the nitrogen robbery typical of wood products. I also tried a perfectly screened pine bark mulch.. but I found it to be impractical in Houston. It drains and dries out much too quickly for our sun and temperatures - I can't water more than once a day, other than for new transplants. Even the gritty mix seems to hold moisture better. |
RE: Is this good for pine bark fines?
| | |
| Thanks greentiger87 and tapla. Ltruett - the bag was $9.99, a bit steep, but since it's almost all the right size, I don't have to worry about tons of extra mulch that's left over after sifting the regular stuff ($3.99 for 3 cubic feet) through 1/4" screen. It also has virtually no sapwood. Greentiger87 - what Lowe's did you find that landscape mix at? The only problem I would see with that is too much retention of extra water, especially by the stuff smaller than 1/16". That could be a problem if there's a period of low evaporation and high moisture in the spring, for example. |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in.
If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Container Gardening Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
