Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 18, 2010 2:16 pm Last question for today! Is it possible for shredded pine bark to turn soil acidic after a number of years? I have some Grevillea superbs that were mulched heavily with this 6 years ago and are now failing, and after a soil test noted that the soil was ph5. Whilst I would never mulch with this stuff again, thanks to H1, I have it in some other garden beds and wondered whether I need to pull it away from the plants ? Re: Pine Bark Mulch 2Sep 19, 2010 4:29 am Possibly incorrect but I would say yes. Pine bark is used for acid loving plants in potting mixes so here is what think has happened. You might have mulched 2 years ago but not enough rain has produced a low breakdown rate. Not that its wet bacteria and fungi can go all out on eating and breaking down your pine bark. There are 2 things producing higher acidity there. More life in the soils = more acids + pine bark = more acid topped off with rain which in itself is slightly acid. I would try dolomite but many natives will hate me for it. A ph treatment is required or root rot will set in. Re: Pine Bark Mulch 3Sep 20, 2010 12:12 am All you need to do is balance it out How? With something that breaks down faster. Pea straw or any straw nice and thick. Being slightly acidic, a very light application in this circumstance of dynamic lifter will be fine as it won't be enough to harm the Grevilleas. "Seamungus" would be better still. Throw over some dolomite of lime too Not often I'll say that for Perth Re: Pine Bark Mulch 4Sep 25, 2010 1:33 am Thanks Redman and Fu ! Got some dolomite and seamungus today. I also saw Olsens Bio Green and noted that it nuetralises soil ph. Would this help? On top of the straw, could I put green mulch as the easterly winds will blow the straw to my neigbours, or worse still Cottesloe Beach (No straw allowed!) TIA Re: Pine Bark Mulch 5Sep 27, 2010 11:47 pm I think if you actually use the starw you will find it is one of the few mulches other than the stuff from your local tree lopper that doesn't blow around. Particularly lupin and peastraw. It won't budge an inch in a 30 knot sea "Breeze". Hose it down very well after putting down and smile smile smile smile Same goes for tree lopper type mulch. Use black mulch of what ever name it is being called this week and expect garden problems to go through the roof increasing garden costs and leaving you wondering why things don't grow. It blows around and so does pine bark. Bloody messy stuff. Straw will be messy putting it on and that will be that Olsens yes use it! Molasses yes use it! there is a thread on it. It naturally makes more iron available to your plants. That greens them up. Just one thing it does DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Are you going to have the frame exposed or are you cladding it with something. Usually if you are making an exposed frame you would use solid legs around 100x100 or… 3 6590 Iām just in the process of replacing 2 stud walls that have been severely damaged by termites and am planning to use h2 blue pine. I just wanted to if anyone can advise… 0 52857 Hi, as per the subject. Does anyone have any recommendations for the best value decking oil (Bunning is close to where I live) for a treated pine deck? Thanks 0 10974 |