Reducing bark nugget sizes

[moke]

I have used a blender that I picked up at a thrift store, works wonderfully. Just don’t over fill it, few handful’s at a time. If I need a large amount I use a wood chipper.

 

[literatipenjing]

I have used a blender that I picked up at a thrift store, works wonderfully. Just don’t over fill it, few handful’s at a time. If I need a large amount I use a wood chipper.

Yes. I'm considering using this method as well.

 

[penumbra]

I have used a blender that I picked up at a thrift store, works wonderfully.

Also excellent for long fiber sphagnum.

 

[hampton]

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

Loving this answer - you can pick up a cheap mixer at Harbor Freight or rent one through a big box store.

 

[BrierPatch]

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

Next time they're in Germany you get lunch too

 

[literatipenjing]

Next time they're in Germany you get lunch too

BrierPatch, thank you for the lunch invitation - winer schnitzel would be good with a glass of beer. I found a source of small bark locally after all. Thank you all for hints and suggestions.

 

[leatherback]

Next time they're in Germany you get lunch too

Nah, it is not about the lunch. I can afford to buy myself lunch.
It is about the fact that you take the effort to look up a previous thread on a topic in which a number of useful options were discussed. Than a week later someone posts a suggestion, which was in the thread you looked up, and the response makes it obvious they never even checked the thread you shared. Makes me wonder "why bother", you know?

 

[bluone23]

I recently found a product called Orchiata Precission 3-6 mm

Its small, maybe this helps.

 

[literatipenjing]

Ah, we need to be tolerant Leatherbag. There is so much information being accumulated that at times we just glance through most of it. I’m the only one truly interested in the solution, so I went through all of suggestions carefully and found the one(s) which seem to be most applicable. In either case, thanks all that responded.

 

[literatipenjing]

View attachment 417047
I recently found a product called Orchiata Precission 3-6 mm

Its small, maybe this helps.

Thanks Bluone23. That is exactly the product I'm looking for. Will post my opinion on it once received.

 

[elijah_moncrieff]

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

Where do you get orchid seeding bark in quantities that large? Also, I know it’s been several years since this post but was wondering the cost for that size bag? I’ve looked everywhere for an affordable price on orchiata fine grade bark (or orchid bark in general) and the lowest price I can find is $85 for a 35 liter bag. It would be the perfect product but I just don’t want to spend that much considering the volume I need.

 

[elijah_moncrieff]

I have used a blender that I picked up at a thrift store, works wonderfully. Just don’t over fill it, few handful’s at a time. If I need a large amount I use a wood chipper.

How small does the wood chipper break up the pieces? Would it get them down to a 1/4” or smaller? I’m very intrigued by this idea.

 

[Michael P]

I just bought this product, https://thebonsaisupply.com/products/pine-bark It looks great, I will using it as soon as re-potting season starts.

 

[literatipenjing]

Where do you get orchid seeding bark in quantities that large? Also, I know it’s been several years since this post but was wondering the cost for that size bag? I’ve looked everywhere for an affordable price on orchiata fine grade bark (or orchid bark in general) and the lowest price I can find is $85 for a 35 liter bag. It would be the perfect product but I just don’t want to spend that much considering the volume I need.

I purchased mine from https://www.northerngecko.net/produ...premium-nz-orchid-bark?variant=43957930295534
They sell various qualities and sizes. I purchased from them ORCHIATA PRECISION, which is ⅛" to ¼" in size. Beautiful product!!!

 

[rockm]

I just bought this product, https://thebonsaisupply.com/products/pine-bark It looks great, I will using it as soon as re-potting season starts.

That looks a lot likerepacked composted sieved pine bark. The value add is the sitting for this.

 

[Cruiser]

This is the way. Cheap. Not too time consuming. Perfect bark nugget sizes.
Total time to process 10 gallons of bark is around 50 minutes. It nets 7.5 gallons of 1/8”- just under 1/2” particles.
Landscape suppliers around here sell 1/4 yds of bark nugget for 10-12.00. That’s about 50 gallons.

Thread 'Process bark chunks into smaller bonsai substrate'

May 10, 2024

27 gallons of small nugget df bark. $10.00 from a local landscape supply.

The chunks are mostly too big to use for bonsai. Sifting nets some useable particles, but not many; and definitely not worth the time and labor involved.


Bark chunks need to be broken up. What is an efficient way to do this?

An electric chipper. (My wife bought this one used for $30.00.) Most are too weak to handle serious tree work, but they can gobble up small branches nicely.



I decided to chip and process 10 gallons of bark.
Chipping took 13 minutes. Here is what the...

• Cruiser
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Soil, ferts, and chems (insecticides/fungicides)

• 

 

[elijah_moncrieff]

This is the way. Cheap. Not too time consuming. Perfect bark nugget sizes.
Total time to process 10 gallons of bark is around 50 minutes. It nets 7.5 gallons of 1/8”- just under 1/2” particles.
Landscape suppliers around here sell 1/4 yds of bark nugget for 10-12.00. That’s about 50 gallons.

Thread 'Process bark chunks into smaller bonsai substrate'

May 10, 2024

27 gallons of small nugget df bark. $10.00 from a local landscape supply.

The chunks are mostly too big to use for bonsai. Sifting nets some useable particles, but not many; and definitely not worth the time and labor involved.


Bark chunks need to be broken up. What is an efficient way to do this?

An electric chipper. (My wife bought this one used for $30.00.) Most are too weak to handle serious tree work, but they can gobble up small branches nicely.



I decided to chip and process 10 gallons of bark.
Chipping took 13 minutes. Here is what the...

• Cruiser
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Soil, ferts, and chems (insecticides/fungicides)

• 

Omg, this is just what I needed!! THANK YOU!!

 

[Bill S]

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.

Bark mulch belongs in garden beds, not bonsia pots, inorganic IS the way to go

 

[leatherback]

Bark mulch belongs in garden beds, not bonsia pots, inorganic IS the way to go

Odd certainty.
And interesting in a time where all sorts of bioactivators and compost teas are making their way into bonsai cultivation.

 

[elijah_moncrieff]

Odd certainty.
And interesting in a time where all sorts of bioactivators and compost teas are making their way into bonsai cultivation.

It’s also funny to me how many of the “never put organic ingredients in your bonsai soil” people love to use use organic fertilizers. Then, the argument that all organic soils turn to muck over time is hipocritical to me too, have you ever seen what happens to straight akadama when not repotted for too long? It literally turns to clay/mud paste. If you know your ingredients, how to water them according to your recipe, and how they break down over time, you can grow bonsai in any soil… Including organic soils.