I have a accomplished grower-friend in CA that grows in composted redwood bark and likes it very much, so as long as you get the consistency right, it will work.

Al

It will wick, but 18" is a tall order (pun intended) for most anything to wick all the way to the surface (if you require it to). There is the small problem of gravity not liking water moving upward against it. The higher the water needs to wick the more upset it makes gravity. Most SWC are 4-8" deep for precisely this reason.

In other words seedlings with underdeveloped root systems would struggle and direct sowing of seed would be difficult. Beyond that you kinda just gotta try and see how it goes.

The smaller the bark pieces, the faster/further the water will wick and the higher it can get before gravity kicks it's butt.

Thank guys, great info.

jag- ya this stuff is really fine and well composted.

Damon

Damon,

Where are you purchasing the composted redwood bark from?

Thanks, Pat

Pat- I'm getting it at Summer Winds, about 5.99 @ bag for 2 or 3 cubic feet. But it is not strictly composted bark, it has composted redwood wood in it too. I've had great success with it in swc's and so so results in pots.

Damon

Damon,

I want to pick up some tomorrow. What brand is it, and what does the bag look like?

Raybo

Raybo- Golden State is the brand and the bag is mostly white with some blue and red. If you go to the one on Winchester they should have it as I bought my last batch there. They load it for you so just ask for it at the front desk, good luck.

Damon

Thanks Damon, They are about half a mile from me.

I am going to try a 2:2:1 mix of Sta-Green potting mix, these bark fines, and Perlite today in one 'Tainer. I've got plants now growing in 15 different combinations of Potting Mix, Perlite, Cactus Mix, Bark Fines, and Turface.

{{gwi:45613}}

So far, they are all running on the high side of moisture from the wicking. Who would have thought that REDUCING the moisture content would have been this big a challenge in a 12 inch depth SWC. Capillary action is a pretty strong force in Nature.

Raybo

Damon,

I picked up a bag of the Redwood Bark Fines you recommended at Summer Winds today:

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But when I opened the bag at home, this product is made up of very fine particles (on the left in the photo):

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The bag says: Redwood Compost. I recall reading Al or JAG said NOT to use Redwood Compost, but Redwood Bark Fines.

For a comparison, the pile on the right is "Decorative Bark Fines" from Home Depot. I am confused as to what I should be using now.

Raybo

The bag says: Redwood Compost. I recall reading Al or JAG said NOT to use Redwood Compost, but Redwood Bark Fines.

I couldn't tell you if redwood is OK to use or not (compost or bark) as it doesn't refer to any specific tree.

Size wise what you show in your pic is probably OK in the 511 mix which is what you would be shooting for in SWC, but I couldn't tell you anything about the properties of the product given that 'redwood compost' can mean darn near anything. It's slightly less vague than 'composted forest products'.

JAG,

As I have a few EarthTainers left to experiment with (and was able to buy some more Champion tomato plants today at Summer Winds Nursery), I am going to try a 2:2:1 mix of the Sta-Green potting mix, Redwood Compost, and Perlite in one half of the 'Tainer and a 3:3:2 mix of the same in the other half of the 'Tainer.

I am also going to do the same (above) substituting the Home Depot Decorative Bark Fines instead of the Redwood Compost to see if the larger particle size of this product makes a difference in wicking properties.

Raybo

I'm pretty confident in saying that its a combo of composted redwood wood and bark. Ray dont worry about it too much as I've had good success with it in swc's growing peppers, cukes, melons, beans etc. I'll post a few pictures tomorrow.

Damon

Has anyone tied coconut fiber or rice hulls? It resists compacting and is quite porous. They allow the air flow many of you are seeking and can be mixed into your regular potting mix to extent it's 'pot life'. They are cheap and have a long life when used as a potting mix additive.

I've used both coconut fiber and rice hull in 30" deep by 36" wide terracotta pots and it drew (wicked) water through the entire potting mix.

seramas- I have not yet tried coconut fiber yet but I did pick up a couple cheap bricks and just never used them. I'm going to give it some serious thought for next year.

Damon

seramas,

The challenge is to find a potting mix combo that REDUCES wicking, as straight potting mixes do indeed wick too much moisture on their own. That is why I was trying Cactus Mix, to attempt to find something that did NOT hold too much moisture. I am concerned that coir would indeed retain more moisture than what is needed in a SWC. The Hunt continues....

Raybo

Raybo,

Have you thought of using pumice or scoria? I have used them when drainage of excess moisture is needed. They are light weight and donÂt affect the ph. It is pricey, but if you do an internet search a good price for 1-gallon is about $5. Larger volumes brings the unit price down considerably.