Reducing bark nugget sizes

[literatipenjing]

I can purchase locally small pine bark nuggets, that are about 1" to 1.5" in size. I'd like to reduce their size to about ¼" to ½" so they could be used as one of main ingredients in my bonsai soil mix. My problem is that I cannot visualize a method of doing that. I'm talking about 5 cubic feet in volume. After shredding, I'd of course sift them to perhaps two different grades, let say medium and large. Need advice from experienced in this field people on the practical method to achieve that. Thank you in advance for help. literatipenjing from PNW.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Maybe shop for soil conditioner, it's smaller pieces of bark. If you've already purchased maybe food processor? Blender? BFH? Run your car over them in the driveway? Just brainstorming

 

[literatipenjing]

-I'm using sifted to various sizes soil conditioner. But the brands I can find locally (in Victoria, BC) contain lots of wood chunks, rather than bark. I want bark, which is much more beneficial as an ingredient of bonsai soil.
-Food processor/blender would not be powerful enough, and also terribly slow for larger amounts. I'm using one of those to chip dried banana peels for micro fertilizer and it works rather well, but it is in quarts, not cubic feet.
-What do you mean by BFH?
- I'd like to hear from someone that uses gardener's chipper/shredder about his experience in using one.
- I also tried to chop it with a small hatchet, but again it is very time consuming process.

literatipenjing

 

[Lorax7]

I can enumerate one way NOT to do it. I did this once by cutting bark pieces with bypass pruners. It was absolutely not worth the time or effort. I gave up on it before I’d finished even a quarter of the bag.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Reptibark.

 

[leatherback]

A little search helps heaps..

How to break down Pine Bark

Does anyone have a method of breaking down pine bark? Nobody sells pine bark in my area. So I ended up stripping a four foot piece off a massive old pine tree that had just been cut down. I than let it age six months in my garage. I've been cutting pieces off with a jigsaw than pounding it...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Hack Yeah!]

BFH=Big F'in Hammer

 

[penumbra]

Sounds like a choir that is completely without joy.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Try this. Spread the bark out on a tarp in a thin layer and let it bake in the sun until bone dry. It will break into pieces "somewhat" easier by putting another tarp on top and rolling over it with your car. Soil conditioner would be my choice, though.

 

[penumbra]

Try this. Spread the bark out on a tarp in a thin layer and let it bake in the sun until bone dry. It will break into pieces "somewhat" easier by putting another tarp on top and rolling over it with your car. Soil conditioner would be my choice, though.

This was how we used to clean the outer shells off black walnuts in my childhood.

 

[Warlock]

i found a brand of pine bark fines in a product called Landscapers Pride Soil Conditioner (Texas).. i just check their map.. they don't have retailer in PNW

 

[penumbra]

Check archives as this has been discussed quite a bit and the answer you are looking for is probably there.
Fir bark is more prevalent than pine bark up there and it is superior to pine bark. Orchid growers use it almost exclusively. I know you can find it there because of past pasts about this very subject.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Throw it in a cement tumbler with some big rocks!
Let it rip for an hour, sift the big parts, run those again.

 

[penumbra]

Throw it in a cement tumbler with some big rocks!
Let it rip for an hour, sift the big parts, run those again.

This is the best idea I have seen. That is if someone actually wants to start with large chunks of bark instead of just buying the smaller grade. I guess I am lucky where I live as all grades are available.

 

[literatipenjing]

You are indeed fortunate. I do not have cement mixer unfortunately. Thinking though about renting chipper and experimenting with it.

 

[penumbra]

I bought a cement mixrer for $120 at Lowes several years ago to use for mixing Hypertuffa. It was surprisingly durable.

 

[River's Edge]

I can purchase locally small pine bark nuggets, that are about 1" to 1.5" in size. I'd like to reduce their size to about ¼" to ½" so they could be used as one of main ingredients in my bonsai soil mix. My problem is that I cannot visualize a method of doing that. I'm talking about 5 cubic feet in volume. After shredding, I'd of course sift them to perhaps two different grades, let say medium and large. Need advice from experienced in this field people on the practical method to achieve that. Thank you in advance for help. literatipenjing from PNW.

Do a google search for Orchid supplies Victoria, BC. Easy to purchase in the size required. ( Fine grade) is the usual terminology. Fir bark or Orchidata are descriptors to look for. Available in several sizes and quantities.
Repti bark is less expensive but more work to break down and sieve to size. Not sure that it is cost effective unless you need very small quantities for a few plants.

 

[Shima]

Orchid seedling bark is the perfect size. I get it in 50lb bags.

 

[literatipenjing]

Frank, you are a genius! Thank you very much for your hint. I’ve spent numerous hours thinking and testing methods to obtain economically reasonable amount of bark in various sizes. I owe you lunch next time I’m in your area, or when you come for a visit to our club in Victoria.

 

[leatherback]

Thank you very much for your hint. I’ve spent numerous hours thinking and testing methods to obtain economically reasonable amount of bark in various sizes.

Did you even look at the link I looked up for you? That recommends exactly the same thing..

How to break down Pine Bark

Does anyone have a method of breaking down pine bark? Nobody sells pine bark in my area. So I ended up stripping a four foot piece off a massive old pine tree that had just been cut down. I than let it age six months in my garage. I've been cutting pieces off with a jigsaw than pounding it...

www.bonsainut.com