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Articles about Compost and Soil Treatments
Aerated Compost Tea, The New Organic Fertilizer
Bark As a Potting Soil Amendment and Mulch
Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of common compost materials
Compost mixtures you can make at home
Composting is Fun for the Whole Family
Green manures and Cover crops in the Organic Garden
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
How to build a compost heap
How to make loam and leafmould
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How to use organic fertilisers
Mulching - Comparison of costs and results for organic and inorganic mulches
Mulching Benefits - Organic And Inorganic Mulch Types
N:P:K Analysis of common composting materials
Obtaining Free Mulch For Your Garden - Uses And Methods Of Getting It
Soil Basics - Creating Fertile, Healthy Soil
Soil PH And Its Effect On Your Garden
Understanding Soil Nutrients
Using Garden Compost
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Organic Gardening:
Bark As a Potting Soil Amendment and Mulch
by John Yazo
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Bark mulch is becoming more commonly used as a potting mulch. It can be used as a potting soil amendment to increase the drainage along with adding airspace in soil mixtures and serves as an excellent organic mulch for your landscape or garden needs.
The use of bark as a soil amendment is best used when plants are mature and don't require a lot of water retention in the soil. There are two basic types of bark mulch that are most commonly used in mulch, shredded and chunk. Shredded bark mulch is much finer than chunk mulch and decomposes easier. Chunk bark mulch is a lot larger and serves better as an aeration aid to soil mixes. The use of bark mulch in a soil mix that is going to be used for starting seeds could cause the soil not to retain enough moisture, needed for the seeds to germinate. There is a propagation bark that is specially designed for an amendment for potting soil mixes.
Propagation bark is a fine, mature bark that is designed to be used in potting soil mixes along with peat or other suitable alternatives like coir. It is made specifically for the propagation of plants and is usually mixed at a ratio of twenty five percent of the potting soil mix.
There is a large variety of potting soil mixes that can be purchased at most local garden centers. The ingredients of potting soil mixes are designed for a variety of different types of plants and can be either soil mix or a soil-less mix.
When choosing potting soil mix you should take the time to carefully read the labels to make sure it meets the needs of the plants that you are growing.
An environment friendly and healthy way of gardening, organic gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature, growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.
