how to make composted bark

[jbclem]

Many soil mix formulas list composted bark as one of the main ingredients. But I haven't been able to find instructions for composting bark by itself. Yes, I know I can add bark to my compost pile, but then I would have to separate it from the rest of the finished compost. I don't think that's possible, so I would like to know how to compost bark all by itself. Do I just make a pile of bark and keep it wet...would I need to add a compost accelerator? And I see that some websites say that finely chopped up bark is "composted bark". But that makes no sense...

Any suggestions out there...

[zeuspaul]

Just guessing but composted bark is likely the same as aged bark. Bark is used because it breaks down slowly. You have to start with a quality bark, one which is actually bark and not bark with a bunch of wood. I would think damp and warm and time would be sufficient to reduce the necessary time. I have bags of bark that have been sitting in the driveway in the sun for over a year that could probably qualify as composted bark.

Composted pine bark decays very slowly due to the lack of wood content, natural preservative in pine bark, and due to the portion which decays easily is already gone. This product is very easy to spread between existing delicate plants. Another great benefit of using composted pine in your planting beds is its long term effect on the soil quality.

https://klsupplies.com/products/mulch/c ... -pine-bark

[bower]

All kinds of bark contain substances that resist decay - lignins and such - but some are more resistant than others - birch bark for example, although the inner bark is about the same as conifers, the outer layer is pretty waterproof and decayproof.
Conifer bark in my climate takes about 4 years or more under natural conditions (soaking, drying out, freeze, thaw, repeat) to break down to a crumbly substance. Normal compost bacteria don't have the means to break down lignin and such, only fungi can do that. I do always find the bark fungi on the underside of a log, working away. IDK if those fungi are garden friendly since their habitat is the woods. IDK if they are usually present in a compost accelerator, but I wouldn't think so. But the fungi that do the job would be present on natural bark, waiting to come forth and do the task.

If I had to make composted bark for use in containers, that I wasn't stripping off logs that are 'done', I guess a chipper shredder could be used to cut them up pretty fine. Pile that up in its own heap, soak and turn frequently? Depending on your climate and the type of bark, it could go crumbly a lot faster than my layed down logs.
You would have to be careful of commercial bark products sold as mulch, make sure they haven't been sprayed with anything that would slow or prevent the breakdown process.