Author Topic: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes  (Read 1476 times)

Lovetoplant

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Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« on: October 07, 2020, 07:46:17 PM »
Hello, I have been trying to make 5-1-1 potting mixes for sometimes,  but can not find pine bark fined or small size pine nuggets.

Is there anyone known where can I purchase small pine barks in Ventura County area, preferably Oxnard?  TIA
« Last Edit: October 07, 2020, 07:47:51 PM by Lovetoplant »

Lovetoplant

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2020, 09:55:02 PM »
Hello, I have been trying to make 5-1-1 potting mixes for sometimes,  but can not find pine bark fined or small size pine nuggets.

Is there anyone known where can I purchase small pine barks in Ventura County area, preferably Oxnard?  TIA

No love?

Kevin Jones

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2020, 01:21:40 PM »
At my local Home Depot they sell a bagged product labeled top soil... but the ingredients list claims timber and forest fines as the main constituents.
It appears to be mostly ground bark (By-product of the timber industry) and a small amount of sand.
This product is produced in Alabama... so it or an equivalent product may be available in CA.
Very economical too.

Kevin Jones


Lovetoplant

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2020, 02:04:54 PM »
At my local Home Depot they sell a bagged product labeled top soil... but the ingredients list claims timber and forest fines as the main constituents.
It appears to be mostly ground bark (By-product of the timber industry) and a small amount of sand.
This product is produced in Alabama... so it or an equivalent product may be available in CA.
Very economical too.

Kevin Jones

I believe products offer for sell by HD are different from State to State.  It only sells large and medium size barks here in CA unfortunately.  Thanks for your input.  Really appreciate that.

mbmango

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2020, 02:20:35 PM »
I have to go to a local soil place for smallish nuggets, but still too big for fines.  Since Earthgro seems to have disappeared locally (miss the mini nuggets), I've been mixing some of this stuff as a filler.  It's got bark, but too much softwood.  I've been using it for less demanding needs and just adding extra N to feed.  After a season or so, I'll recycle it as partially composted fines.




Lovetoplant

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2020, 06:31:40 PM »
Those tiny nuggets seem difficult to obtain.  Have you been trying to recreate Al's 5-1-1 mixes as well?

eduardo_98

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2020, 06:56:23 PM »
I use pine bark for soil mixes, but I’ve never seen them in any store; maybe because I haven’t looked. Usually I go into the woods and collect it off dead/fallen pine trees and crush it into bits myself. It’s unconventional but it’s free and based off what I’ve seen online I’m sure it can get expensive. But based on your location maybe you don’t have access to the right kind of pine or woodlands.

hawkfish007

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2020, 07:43:17 PM »
Ace hardware sells pine bark mulch in 2 cu ft bags for under $9 with free local store pick up. I am wondering what are you going to plant in the mix.

Lovetoplant

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2020, 10:21:24 PM »
I'm running out of space for in ground plantings.   I have in pots now are 2 cherimoyas, 3 figs, 3 tangerines  longan, 2 mulberries, 2 peach and plum, and 2 avocado trees.  Plan to put them in half barrel directly instead of up potted them gradually.

These will be in 5-1-1 mixes if I could get mini-bark nuggets.  The ideal nuggets size should be in between 1/8" to 1/4"


Sun flower seeds and .0177 lead pallet are referenced to the barks.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2020, 10:25:45 PM by Lovetoplant »

EddieF

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2020, 08:09:39 AM »
Mango planting-
Is pine bark better then chips for soil mix and if so, why?
And is either dry or freshly chipped better?
I ask because i'm having another limb removed & chipped from tall pine to straighten it.
I'd have him blow chips in garbage pail.  I also have bark chips.
Pine needles i've been leaving as they fall around areca palms.

strom

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2020, 10:19:28 AM »
I struggled with this at the end of 2019 and early into 2020.  I ended up testing many of these products:
1. Gardener's brand seedling orchid bark, runs about $9-11 for a 2cuft bag; the local company "Kellogg" owns this brand; no need to sift
2. Forrest Products "soil conditioner", it's a 3cuft green and white bag, runs about $12-14; no need to sift
3. Look up local soil/mulch/compost companies and call to see if they let you purchase by bag or bring your own bag to fill with a shovel.  I've got at two near me in OC.  One offers both bark fines and hummus, but only certain times of the year.
4. I think EB Stone might have orchid seedling bark as well
5. reptibark - at many pet supply.  I ended up not purchasing this, the price is stupid, and the orchid seedling bark is just as good
6. Some feed supply places may carry various barks as well, you'll have to visit, I did not have luck with this
7. Same as #3, except check horse yards to see if there are any small compost companies there and look at their compost product - the one near me does a bark and horse poop mixture which looks like it will work well mixed with perlite/pumice and maybe a little less peat.  I plan to try this with some veges next spring.  I believe Camarillo should have a lot of stables and isn't too far?
8. Kellogg organic mixes, such as garden soil

If you are trying to find omri or organic, good luck.  I got caught up for a couple months searching high and low to find the perfect components in order that my container plants perform at their peak, and my experience has been it doesn't really matter what you purchase as long as you can get it to drain well, which is accomplished by adding perlite/pumice.  And you probably won't save money going this route vs. just picking up any of the kellogg bags ("garden soil" is cheapest down here).

One last thing: if you go route of product that has compost or organic matter in it (e.g. kellogg), be prepared for fungus gnats.  If they are non-edible plants the imidichloprid based granules are perfect and will stop them.  if they are edibles, uhmm... good luck. :p

Lovetoplant

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2020, 11:29:36 PM »
Storm,  thank you for your suggestions.  I did call all landscape supplies companies here in Oxnard and Camarillo but no luck.  They only carry small bark nuggets.  After searching the Internet, I found  Whittier Fertilizer and Landscape Supplies in Pico Riviera seem to have mini bark nuggets.  Though it is quite a drive for you from Orange County.  Have you ever checked them out?  They sell by the yard.

Lovetoplant

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2020, 11:46:15 PM »
Mango planting-
Is pine bark better then chips for soil mix and if so, why?
And is either dry or freshly chipped better?
I ask because i'm having another limb removed & chipped from tall pine to straighten it.
I'd have him blow chips in garbage pail.  I also have bark chips.
Pine needles i've been leaving as they fall around areca palms.

EddieF,  Hawkfish007 seems to have good hand with growing mangoes.  I would use his mixes: 50% construction sand from Lowes or HD store and 50% topsoil.

strom

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Re: Pine bark uses for 5-1-1 potting mixes
« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2020, 09:30:56 AM »
Storm,  thank you for your suggestions.  I did call all landscape supplies companies here in Oxnard and Camarillo but no luck.  They only carry small bark nuggets.  After searching the Internet, I found  Whittier Fertilizer and Landscape Supplies in Pico Riviera seem to have mini bark nuggets.  Though it is quite a drive for you from Orange County.  Have you ever checked them out?  They sell by the yard.
Thanks for the idea.  Good news is most of the suggestions I presented work fine my situation.  That said, I'm always up for an adventure, the Whittier place is a trek but not so far to keep me away.  Found them on the internet, and the picture of their mini nugget looks like it would need to be sifted so that's a no go for me, too much work.  Another idea for you to consider, pick up the smallest bark nugget you can locally, and run it through one of those blower/chipper things.  I've read some people have success with this.

I did forget one other product that I had and worked well: whitney farms organic mulch.  One nursery near me sell it, however, it has been almost impossible to get locally due to covid.  It's no more or no less expensive than the other options.