Bark

Sinclair Bark is aged pine bark from UK resources, available in two grades for use in growing media.  Air and water holding capacities are comparable to coarse peat fractions and nutrient buffering capacity is similar to peat.   

Benefits

• High air-filled porosity (AFP) helps maintain healthy, active rooting and and ensure good drainage.
• Good structural stability.  It resists breaking down and keeps the compost stable throughout the crop's growing cycle.
• Low pH and low nutrient level which makes it an ideal growing medium ingredient.
• Biologically active which helps suppress root diseases such as Pythium, Phytophthora and Fusarium.
• Equally suitable for ericaceous and non-ericaceous species.
• Ideal for making peat-reduced composts and top-dressing containerised plants.

	Sinclair Fine Grade Bark Particle Size: 0 - 8 mm Can be used in any rooting medium mix to encourage healthy root initiation and ensure rapid root distribution. Also suitable for seed, propagation and pottingmixes. Mix with moss peat or coir, adding the recommended nutrietns and dolomitic limestone.
	Sinclair Nursery Grade Bark Particle size: 3 - 12 mm Can be used in any potting mix for containerised plants to encourage healthy root development. Mix with moss peat or coir, adding recommended nutrients and dolomitic limestone. Can also be used as a pot mulch to suppress moss, liverwort and weed growth.

Preparation of Growing Media using Bark

Dolomitic limestone needs to be added to raise the pH of the growing medium.  The amount will vary depending on the crop being grown.  The limetsone will also supply calcium and magnesium.

Adding Sincrostart base fertiliser to the growing medium will provide early nutrient requirements in a readily available form.  For an extended nutrient supply add Sincrocell controlled release fertiliser or, as an alternative, use Sangral or Sangral Select soluble fertilisers for liquid feeding.

It is suggested that additional nitrogen is added to mixes containing bark to compensate for lock-up at the rate of 100 g/m³ ammonium nitrate for each 10% of bark used.  For example, in a mix of 200 litres of bark and 800 litres of peat add 200 grams of ammonium nitrate to the usual rates of fertiliser.  Reduce this by half for ericaceous or salt-sensitive subjects.  As an alternative the inclusion rate of Sincrostart or Sincrocell can be adjusted to increase the amount of available nitrogen in the growing medium.

Bark should be stored in a cool, dry, clean area away from herbicides and other chemicals.

Information Sheet Download

Bark Information Sheet 4632 Kb