Pine straw vs. Shredded bark
Stefanie33
18 years ago
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Iris GW
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Blueberries in pine bark vs other bark
Comments (7)A supplement is not the same, necessarily as an amendment. I wouldn't mix any fresh raw wood product with the soil, but if it's spread on the surface like a mulch I think it will be fine. I believe pine fines are aged before being used in a potting mix. Mixed in the soil I would think any fresh bark would suck out the N. for a period of time- I also believe that blueberries don't care where the organic matter in the soil comes from as long as you manage the pH. You can't assume that what is needed to create potting soil will carry into what is needed in a general soil mix, where the soil itself dominates and you don't have the drainage confinement of a pot. Anytime you mix materials with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio to the soil where the carbon is easily available you will likely have difficulty keeping enough N in the soil for you plants. . Here is a link that might be useful: C-N ratios of various raw materials....See MoreWhat does shredded bark do to the soil?
Comments (10)How fast any type of mulch might be digested will depend on how active a Soil Food Web you have as well as the type of material presented to them. The smaller the particles are the faster they will be digested, so a fine shredded bark mulch could be digested much faster then a course lumpy wood chip mulch. When used as mulch no high carbon material, such as bark fines or wood chips, should cause the soil Nitrogen levels to be tied up in the digestion of that mulch, that digestion should be a relatively slow process compared to what tilling the same material into the soil would be. I have not seen soil N depletion in any beds that I have mulched to the contrary I have seen plants that I have mulched with high carbon material turn a deeper green and grow much better after mulching because the soil is now evenly moist and the soil bacteria are bette able to feed the plants what they need for proper growth. Any vegetative material used for mulch will, eventually, supply organic matter to the soil as the Soil Food Webs works on and digests that material....See MorePine straw vs shredded bark mulch
Comments (4)There are pros and cons of each material. By the way, do you mean pine bark chips or the shredded wood that is a by-product of tree companies? (I've never heard of 'shredded' pine bark, is why I ask.) Anyway, there is no question that the wood product lasts much longer....pine bark can last for years without breaking down. Shredded wood decomposes faster than the bark, but will return more elements to the soil as it does so. Many of the tree companies are now using a different kind of chipper that creates very attractive little chips rather than that shredded stuff. Very nice looking. A real plus about the mixed wood chips is that they can often be had for free, as tree companies are very happy to find a place to donate their chips to, rather than pay to have them accepted into a landfill. This is my preferred mulching material, by far. Pine straw deteriorates quite rapidly in hot sun, first losing its color before it turns into dust. Pine straw needs to be obtained when it is fresh or the life span will be shortened even more. Pine straw adds organic compunds to the soil as it degrades, as do all of these materials, but they may be of limited value to the growing plants. Pine straw may need to be refreshed twice a year, which is a pain in the pocket book. Pine BARK lasts longest of all, since it is composed of lignins that even microorganisms can't break down. It maintains its color and consistency for a long time. My personal preferrance, after many years as a professional and now as a (fussy) homeower is the mixed wood chips from tree companies. One good application can last for up to three years before needing a top dressing, in my experience. Probably less in your climate. All three are great at buffering the soil from excessive heat, moisture loss, freezing temperatures, etc....See Moreshredded mulch or pine straw?
Comments (17)Hello Jill: Here in the hot, sunny Sand Hills area of NC, I use pine bark fines (small, shreded pine bark). It is plentiful and not too expensive. It is great for the soil as it breaks down easily and improves the soil. It helps keep the roots cooler in our sometimes 100 degree weather and I think that it discourages visitors such as slugs and sometimes the stinking geese that like to trample through my yard. 'Round here, pine needles are free but I don't like them because of the bugs that consider them home - little red bugs AKA "chiggers" and if you have EVER sat on pine needles, you will NEVER forget it. They are cousins to other unmentionable critters and the red bumps are where they have laid eggs - 'nough said on that! And Larry (sweatin in ga) is right about the nitrogen issue, but the usual application of 18-6-12 granular fertilizer solves that problem. Hope this helps! Renee...See Moredoggiedaddy
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