For mulching in the garden, not only conventional pine or spruce bark mulch is suitable, but also pine bark. We show you the advantages.
What is mulch for?
When mulching, the free soil area in a bed is covered with organic material - the mulch. Lawn clippings, leaves or foliage can be used for this, for example. So far, bark mulch has been used most frequently. In general, this term refers to peeled and crushed tree bark, which is a waste product in forestry. Pine bark in particular is being used more and more often.
Mulch protects plants
Mulching ensures a pleasant climate for the plants. It keeps the soil cool in hot weather and prevents moisture from evaporating, so the area doesn't need to be watered as often. At the same time, it ensures that the temperature does not drop so quickly in the evening. And even in winter, mulch prevents the temperature from falling quickly and the ground from freezing. When it rains, mulching reduces the washing out of the soil and the wind cannot remove it as much. Along with all of these protective functions, mulching is also a method of fertilizing the soil. The decomposition of the organic material produces important nutrients that ensure good growth of the desired plants. However, care must be taken here that the decomposition of the mulch material by soil organisms also requires nutrients. Above all, nitrogen should be mentioned here, which should then be supplied additionally. Finally, and very convenient for the gardener, mulching inhibits weed growth by reducing the amount of light directly on the ground.
Mulch as flooring
Bark mulch is also a popular material for paths and play areas because it has springy properties. Here you should pay attention to a coarse grain of the material, as it then does not get caught in the soles of the shoes and the suspension is strongest. For this purpose, the layer should be refreshed regularly with new material, otherwise it will be thinned out by the decomposition processes.
Summary
The mulching serveswhen gardening for the following purposes:
➟ Keeps soil cool and moist
➟ Regulates soil temperature
➟ Reduces soil washout from rain
➟ Reduces soil erosion from wind
➟ Fertilizes soil by breaking down mulch
➟ Inhibits weed growth
➟ Provides springy flooring on paths and play areas
Bark mulch
The term bark mulch is generally understood to mean peeled and crushed tree bark. This occurs as a waste product in forestry. The commercially available bark mulch usually consists of the bark of native spruce and pine trees. It is characterized by a natural brown color and has a strong odor that is sometimes perceived as unpleasant. It is created by the naturally contained tannins and tannins, which acidify the soil. The bark of native spruce and pine is now also widely used for heating, leaving less material for mulching and increasing the price.
Pine Bark
Pine bark is actually a sub-term of bark mulch. As the word suggests, this is crushed bark that comes only from pine trees. These trees are native to the Mediterranean region. This results in a longer transport route than with domestic bark mulch, which also explains the higher price. However, pine bark is characterized by a beautiful rusty red color and a pleasant scent that is reminiscent of coniferous wood. In addition, pine bark rots much more slowly than conventional bark mulch and lasts up to three times as long. The pine bark also has a number of advantages in terms of its effect on the soil. It has a lower acid content than standard bark mulch and is therefore less of a strain on the pH value of the soil. However, since this lower acidity also means that the weeds are less inhibited, the soil must be prepared particularly well before applying the material. A direct comparison of pine bark and conventional bark mulch also shows that the cadmium contamination of pine bark is lower. It also removes less nitrogen from the soil as it rots.
Advantages and disadvantages of pine bark
The following comparison summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of pine bark compared to conventional bark mulch:
Advantages:
✔ Beautiful rusty red color
✔ Pleasant smell
✔ Slower rotting (lasts up to three times longer)
✔ Lower acidity
✔ Extracts soilless nitrogen
✔ Less cadmium pollution
Cons:
✘ Higher price
✘ Longer transport distance
✘ Less weed inhibition
» Order pine bark here and have it conveniently delivered
How is pine bark used?
Pine bark and bark mulch in general should be applied to the soil in a thick layer for optimal effect. About five to seven centimeters are sufficient as floor protection. Effective weed control, on the other hand, requires a few extra centimetres. The grain of the pine bark should be adapted to the area to be worked on. The larger the area, the larger the pine bark pieces should be. Very small granulations can be used in plant boxes and flower pots, but the granulation should be particularly large on paths and play areas. A larger grit also has the benefit of slower rotting. On the other hand, a grain size that is too small can impede the exchange of oxygen in the soil and let the soil modernize more quickly. Investing in a quality product is worthwhile here, as there is often a great deal of variation in the individual pieces of mulch in cheap products.
Prepare the floor before application
Before applying pine bark, the soil should be well prepared. All unwanted weeds are removed for this purpose. You should also pay attention to the rhizomes of root weeds. This preparation is important because pine bark cannot kill existing weeds, it only hinders the growth of new germs and that a little less than conventional bark mulch made from pine or spruce bark.
Prevent nitrogen deficiency
To prevent a lack of nitrogen in the soil, additional fertilization can be applied together with the pine bark. Horn shavings are ideal here. They go through a similarly slow decomposition process and thus ensure permanent fertilization. For bark mulch made from pine or spruce bark, between 50 and 100g horn chips per m2 are recommended. With pine bark, less horn shavings are required due to the lower nitrogen consumption of rotting.
What to consider when buying pine bark?
You don't always find the desired product under the term pine bark. Sometimes conventional, cheaper bark mulch is incorrectly declared and sold. When buying, you should therefore pay attention to proof of origin and to the appearance and smell. Real pine bark is characterized by the typical coniferous smell and the rust-red color. In addition, the gritprovide an indication of quality. Cheap mulch material is often not screened and therefore contains pieces of very different sizes and in some cases also foreign material. The freshness of the material should also be a purchase criterion. Fresh pine bark exudes a pleasant scent of wood. Older material, on the other hand, smells like earth or even mold.