Pine Bark

Question: In the soil around my pine bark chips is a white substance, looks like some mold how do I get rid of it? This white mold seems to be most prevalant with the pine bark chips. Any suggestions as to get rid of it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ! This could be a fungus or a mold not sure.

Answer: Simply remove the mulch, and let the soil air-dry, then replace with clean mulch, preferably from local, fall leaves

Question: The Monahan’s garden is 20 feet by 30 feet. They wish to lay a uniform border of pine bark around the garden.? The Monahan’s garden is 20 feet by 30 feet. They wish to lay a uniform border of pine bark around the garden. How large a strip should they lay if they only have enough bark to cover 360 square feet?

Answer: 3' wide

Question: is it safe to put newly chipped pine bark around trees? someone told my husband putting newly chipped pine bark around a tree will kill it. Is this true?

Answer: perhaps around a young, newly planted tree it wouldn't be a good idea, as the newly chipped stuff does draw nitrogen out of the soil as it starts to decompose..... but around a mature tree, it's not harmful..... but it still doesn't hurt to add back the nitrogen that will be lost in the surface soil..... and don't let it touch the base of the trunk of any tree.... out six or eight inches at least....

Question: My backyard lawn had pine bark (used as mulch) on them. The area is pretty big. Now I have got grass coming up? through the pine bark. what is the best way to get rid of grass?

Answer: The purpose of the pine bark is to keep the grass from coming up, and to make it easy to pull. Grass seed is small, and can't grow through a thick coating of pine bark. You may not have enough pine bark, or the grass is a variety that spreads from some other method than just seeds. The pine bark mulch keeps the soil soft and moist, and easy to pull the grass. Pull it out by the roots. Put down a thicker layer of pine bark.

Question: What effect has significant brood control of the Southern Pine Bark Beetle? Thanks Virt, it's consecutive days not years I should have added (for the brooding period). Jeez, I'll just give it to ya. 95 oF and 0 oF in consecutive days not years. It's impossible to get a science based answer on this site.

Answer: "Bark beetle outbreak dynamics are complex, and a variety of circumstances must coincide and thresholds must be surpassed for an outbreak to occur on a large scale. Moreover, large areas of suitable hosts are an essential requirement for a widescale outbreak. Although outbreak dynamics differ from species to species and from forest to forest, climate change is one factor that appears to be driving at least some of the current bark beetle outbreaks. Temperature influences everything in a bark beetle’s life, from the number of eggs laid by a single female beetle, to the beetles’ ability to disperse to new host trees, to individuals’ over-winter survival and developmental timing. Elevated temperatures associated with climate change, particularly when there are consecutive warm years, can speed up reproductive cycles and reduce cold-induced mortality. Shifts in precipitation patterns and associated drought can also influence bark beetle outbreak dynamics by weakening trees and making them more susceptible to bark beetle attacks." There is mention of possible negative effects in some populations at lower elevations but the experts say that overall, global warming means worse bark beetle infestations. EDIT It seems, from your additional detail, that you wanted to compare some specific effects and that you had specific reference to something to do with day-to-day variability. It's sort of hard to address something you haven't mentioned or given a reference to, though.

Question: Where would I find large pine bark nuggets and will they blow away in a storm? Leon O. suggested these for the area around our new paved fire pit.

Answer: Home Depot or Lowes

Question: where do the old pine bark nuggets go?? every spring you have to put new ones on the flower beds.? but i never see the old ones scattered round over the yard or on top of the snow. must replace 50 poounds a year. ??????

Answer: They decompose and help in rich the soil surrounding your plants. It is the same idea behind a compost bend. Oxygen and sunlight break these fibers down and turn them into a rich soil.

Question: what is the best way to kill pine bark beetles before they kill all my trees?

Answer: There is only one way to get rid of the pine beetle. You must cut all of the infected limbs from the tree and burn them. If you don't burn them, the pine beetle caterpiller currently eating the inside of the pine tree will develop into a beatle and lay more eggs on your pine trees and the eggs will hatch into caterpillers and eat more of the inside of the tree. Spray will not work on boring insects like pine beatles. Once the larva are under the bark, the bark protects them from sprays. It will kill the parent beatles before they lay the larva eggs, but it is too late for spray now. You already have the larva inside the tree eating it. A healthy pine tree will produce lots of pitch and seal the hole behind the larva, causing the larva to suffocate. Apparently your pine trees are stressed. Give them water so they have plenty of liquid to make pitch.

Question: How do the characteristics of a pine trees bark differ from another conifers bark?

Answer: Two useful links....try them http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/ilovepine/didyouknow_more.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacebark_Pine http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.scpine.html ___________________________________ Here you can look for details about monteray pine bark features http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_Pine A few types of bark features including pine tree http://www.backyardnature.net/treebark.htm

Question: Does fine pine bark mulch attract ants or bugs more than hard wood? Which is better?

Answer: It attracts the ants or bugs more. The only thing that really attracts hardwood is gravity.

Question: Does a pine tree die or become weak after some of the bark is scraped off? My cousin scraped some bark off my grandpa's pine tree a few weeks ago. It is red and sap is coming out. Will it die or become weak? Also will it support a tree house?

Answer: Any time the bark of a tree is removed, you expose it to possible disease or parasites. Although the removal of a small amount of bark alone is not enough to seriously harm the tree, there is a good chance disease or boring insects might damage it. If the damage is on a limb, it is best to have the limb clean cut away so the the damage may more quickly heal. If the damage is on the trunk, you can try to replace the bark with a non-toxic glue for cosmetic purposes, but it won't do much to protect the tree anymore. The best thing to do in the case of bark damage around the tree trunk is to simply let it alone and hope for the best. As to whether it will support a tree house, it depends entirely on the size and strength of the branches to be used.

Question: Is it ok to use pine bark mulch around herbs that i'll be using for cooking?

Answer: Yes, it should be ok as I found that MSU, for example, recommends mulch, including pine bark.

Question: Would you support listing the White Bark Pine as “endangered� under the Endangered Species Act? Would you support listing the White Bark Pine as “endangered� under the Endangered Species Act, with the main culprit being anthropogenic greenhouse warming? Why or why not… http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/opinion/27tue4.html?ref=editorials

Answer: Seems reasonable. It meets the criteria for being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_Species_Act#Petition_and_listing Technically the main culprit are pine beetles, which are becoming more prevalent as winters become warmer, and more survive due to fewer cold snaps. It sounds as though grizzlies might qualify as a threatened species as well.

Question: How can a pine trees bark and cones help it to survive, fertilize and regenerate after a forest fire?

Answer: Google it.

Question: Pine bark beetles? how do you get rid of pine bark beetles in a pine tree? MG thats what I have heard too, Thank you.

Answer: you cut down the tree before the spread to another. we had them in a tree in our yard. you could hear them boring into the wood. they will make the tree weak and a strong wind could break the tree off, and do some real damage. not sure where you live, i have a friend who is a forrester, you could call the county extension agency.

Question: What is Pine Bark Composting?

Answer: I am not sure exactly what your asking bu I hope this helps. At log mills they debark the logs before cutting lumber the bark is then is either packaged for mulch, burnt for fuel, or piled up in big windrows to rot down into compost. It takes a long time for bark to rot unless a nitrogen source is added. Some mills run the bark through a grinder and then sell it as a filler to a company that bags potting soil. Hope that helped

Question: Pine Bark Mulch? Is there a problem with using recently cut pine bark mulch in and around the vegetable garden, namely around tomatoes and cucumbers? I usually use several sheets of newspaper first before putting the mulch on top.

Answer: As long is it's a BARK mulch, it's fine. pine wood will deplete nitrogen more substantially than would bark. The reason is that the biologicals in the soil need nitrogen to break down the organic content. Newspaper can act as a weed membrane, not a bad idea.

Question: Which is better pine needles, pine bark, or stones?

Answer: pine needles will keep the weeds down if not away all together. I have used the pine bark and stones and they are a pain to weed . if you put the pine needles down first then put some stone over them, they will look nice but you will still have to move them if you want to put more needles down.

Question: Can you put decorative bark around a huge pine tree? I've heard that if you do, the roots can't "breathe"... but is there anything decorative you can do if you can't do bark?

Answer: There are no problems with using the bark itself. However, landscape fabric or plastic sheeting is sometimes used underneath landscaping bark or stones and those are terribly damaging.

Question: what is pine bark nuggets? i went to the home depot to buy plant fertilize, instead i bought something called pine bark nuggets. can somebody please tell me what is pine bark nuggets and what it do to the plant? thank u

Answer: they are a waste product from saw-mills. before the logs go through the saws they are de-barked and then the bark is put through a chipper. they are used as a mulch for flower beds because they hold water very well cutting down the amount of water you have to use. they also prevent weeds from growing to an extent so it cuts down on labor as well. and it kinda looks nice too. pine bark is in no way a fertilizer. perhaps as it rots and breaks down it will deposit some nutrients but not much to speak of. you will still need fertilizer for your plants to really thrive.