Beauty Bark and the Beast

Beauty Bark and the Beast — Barking up the Right Side of the Tree

Many people rely on bark, and why not? Bark is fairly inexpensive, attractive in landscapes, and is great for erosion control.

One of the most common misconceptions regarding bark is that just because the advertisement says that the material is bark doesn’t necessarily mean that the material really is bark. Beauty bark as we commonly refer to it is processed when logs are debarked. The byproduct of debarking or the rough skin of logs is then actually ground by a large grinding plant and then run through a screen for sizing. The end state is pure bark.

Many landscape suppliers mix the pure bark with a processed product called “hog fuel.” The term hog fuel has nothing to do with pigs. A hog in this sense of the word refers to a large screen conveyor used by physical plants burning coal or wood fiber to generate electricity or energy by a combination of boilers and steam turbines. Hog fuel is manufactured by grinding any thick wood and passing this material through a screen. The screen sizes the material, with the result looking like splintered wood pieces. When hog fuel is mixed with pure bark the supplier can sell more material at reduced costs as hog fuel is almost free.

When you go to the store and buy bags of landscape material (bark), many times the bag will specify “bark mulch.” The mulch is hog fuel, and in most cases not bark at all. Some processors dye the hog fuel different colors to resemble bark’s natural colors. When you buy a bag of mulch bark from a “box store” and open the bag, you may see ground up painted wood, paper or other garbage – but mostly ground up, wood but very little or no bark.

Bark and mulch have great properties, as previously discussed. They also have characteristics worth mentioning. Before placing bark, decide what type of plants you have. If your landscape consists of rhododendron, azaleas, heather’s and other acid-loving trees, bushes and plants, then conifer bark will best serve you. On the other hand, if your landscape is made up of plants requiring less or no acid, you must use a deciduous bark or mulch. Conifer bark or mulch will either stunt growth or even kill these plants and bushes if they are not acid loving.

Do not believe that the bark or mulch will break down or decompose quickly. This won’t happen. Fir or hemlock bark takes 5-6 years to decompose to where you have balanced pH. Cedar bark or mulch will take 15-20 years to decompose before you can plant anything with hopes of it growing.

So, “Let the buyer beware.” If you need bark for your landscape, check out your plants. What type do you need? Then go to your landscape supplier, check out the bark for yourself. If you live in the city and must buy bark/mulch by the bag from a box store, look for a broken bag and see what you are getting before you pay for it. Hopefully, this will keep you from barking up the wrong side of the tree. Happy gardening!
Bill McTurnal