Bark, was Re: Soil mix!!
- Subject: Bark, was Re: Soil mix!!
- From: I* &* C* G*
- Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 10:38:41 -0600 (CST)
Most greenhouse orchids are potted in fir bark, not so different from pine
bark. Many commercial pot plants are potted in one kind of bark or another.
Bark mixes, mostly bark are used by nurseries specializing in broadleaf
evergreens.
The effect of a pine mulch in preventing the germination of weeds is due to
shading the soil surface where weed seeds require light to germinate.
Iza Goroff
Whitewater Wisconsin USA zone 4b
"Cooper, Susan L." wrote:
> Can someone explain the pine bark to me? I've never quite gotten it clear
> in my mind...
> I thought folks put down pine mulch because "something" in the pine bark
> helps prevent weeds from growing. The explanation given to me was that not
> much grows in a pine forest (except the pines, duh) due to some inhibitor
> with the pine needles, or roots or ???.
> Am I just totally nuts or has anyone else ever heard this?
>
> If it isn't true I'll start adding a little pine bark to my mix, it is easy
> to find here (up north), people use it for decoration.
>
> Susan
>
> -
> pine bark. The bark may be hard to find in the north, but half or more of
> perlite to a peat based mix is better than the peat by itself.
