Hi All I have just purchased 12 acres in Northern BC which is 99% clay and it would cost a fortune to bring in top soil. I can access unlimited Hemlock hog fuel (90% bark 10% wood) delivered free from the local sawmill so this is my plan. I want to bring in enough bark (hog fuel) to cover 3-4 acres 2-3ft deep (Yes 15000 CuM) and let it decompose to become my top soil. I've spent days, weeks searching the internet but I haven't found much useful information on whether this would work or not. The majority of the land will be for grass or clover (undecided) and sections for livestock. I do want a large garden which I would add more organic compost to but I'm more curious on whether decomposed hog fuel only could grow vegetation. I have 3-5 years before I get to the point where I will want to start growing anything so I think I have lots of time for the bark to decompose but will it have any nutrient value? I know a company locally mixes it with chicken and cow manure but I don't have the time or resources for that amount. Any advice would be appreciated.
Right now the property is treed with a variety of hemlock, pine, and the odd cedar, all second growth. I plan on clearing the land in the next month.
Bark alone will never change into soil. You could use it to incorporate into the soil to improve porosity and tilth. Organic materials need nitrogen for decomposition. The amount of nitrogen in the bark is almost none, so you would have to add nitrogen to the soil together with the bark. On the other hand, from what you write about the vegetation there, it looks like the soil, although clayey, may be quite porous already due to the variety of roots that penetrate it. After you cut the trees the roots will remain in the soil and decompose naturally. They will act as the soil organic amendment. It also looks like your soil, as it is now, is able to support a healthy vegetation. You could use some of the bark later as a mulch in your garden. The layer of mulch should not be deeper than 10 cm. Get it now and let it sit in a pile to compost. In a few years it will be a perfect mulching material. Remember though that in general using mulch on cold, wet soils may do more harm than good, so apply it judiciously, may be a thinner layer, 5 cm or even less.
Thanks Sundrop, I get confliction information on the net about whether bark has more nitrogen than the woody material. At the sawmill I work, we have massive piles of hog separate from massive piles of wood chips. Our hog pile is decomposing and has become so hot it has actually caught on fire in the past. We have to pile it a specific way to avoid allowing water to get into the pile to promote decomposition. Even doing that you can dig into the pile 6" and feel the heat. Where as the wood chip pile has not decomposed at all. We've moved piles a year old and the chips look fresh as new. I didn't think about the roots already in the ground and that they would help, but that makes perfect sense. Would you just plant grass/clover seed right on the ground without any addition of soil or fertilizer? I am hoping to come out of this being as organic as possible so I don't really want to use any chemicals. I will make a separate pile for my garden, I have 12 chickens that over time (years) I hope will give me enough nitrogen for a good garden soil/compost. Do you think bark and chicken manure only could work for 100% of my garden soil. Plus I'd mulch. Thanks
The trees you are removing are quite apt at improving the soil themselves, in fact they wouldn't be there if there was a any deficiency in your soils.
If I was you I would sow cover crops, also called green manures. They improve soil fertility naturally. Legumes fix nitrogen in the soil. Personally I like growing Hairy Vetch, but am thinking of using other legumes for the variety. I grow Buckwheat to improve availability of phosphorus in my soil. There are many other cover crops to choose from. Cover crops are also great source of biomass. With chicken manure and composted bark incorporated into the soil or simply thinly spread on the soil surface as mulch, you should be able to create a very fertile environment for your garden and pastures. Also, with the cleyey soil you have I would consider choosing slightly higher spot for your garden, so it will not act like a basin to collect water from the surrounding area. Soil is composed of minerals (disintegrated rock) mixed with decayed organic matter (humus). It contains water, air and living organisms. Organic material (humus, roots and soil organisms) in a healthy soil makes only about 5% of the soil contents. On average, this is the kind of soil plants are created to grow in and Mother Nature works with. Too much organic contents as well as not enough may create problems in the long run. Used with moderation as a soil amendment, bark and manure from organically grown chicken are good organic fertilizers, but should be used judiciously. Just add them little by little and observe how your plants are performing in the long run. From what you write it looks like bark is indeed richer in nitrogen than wood chips are. It is a very interesting observation, and good to know.
Hi, Thanks again for the information. From what I gather my soil may not be as bad as I thought with all the trees growing on it. I think I'll use the hog as a mulch and spread it thinly over the area I want to grow grass on and then plant some cover crops . How much in thinly Sundrop? 2 inches or 5-6 inches?The mulch would have a couple years before I would plant anything on it. Good tip for the placement of the garden. I am going to try and do some drainage around the property in strategic locations but for the most part the land has a nice gradual slope to the south
Find out which cover crops http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cover_crop are best for a pasture, most nutritious and tasty for the animals you want to keep, and sow those together with the grass. Give them time to establish (a few years) before making your pasture available for grazing. Clover is for sure good, but I would go for a variety. I believe, too, there are wild plants already growing on your property that may be well liked and beneficial in small amounts for your animals. Thick layer of hog mulch would kill all the vegetation in your future pasture, and can be as bad for the soil, too, obstructing aeration and killing soil organisms. Soil organisms is what makes soil fertile. Organic material in the soil goes through many tiny mouths and guts and the product of this decomposition serves as a fertilizer for plants, see a short introductory article http://kootenaygardening.com/soil_organisms.htm. There are also two links there to the websites where you can find more information on this topic. You write you have clayey soil. Is there a lot of precipitation, too? Does the soil remain saturated for a prolonged periods of time? In general, using mulch on cold, wet soils may do more harm than good. Mulching will prevent the moisture to evaporate, making the condition worse. Plant roots and soil organisms need air to survive, there is no air in saturated soil. Take all this into account, learn more, and only then make your decisions. Make small steps, experiment, observe and learn as you go. Personally, I never did any experiments on how thick a layer of hog should be to kill the existing vegetation on clayey soil so I can't say for sure, but I am afraid one inch or even less could make it very difficult at least for some, more delicate plants to get through. It is just a guess, though.
fng, " I want to bring in enough bark (hog fuel) to cover 3-4 acres 2-3ft deep (Yes 15000 CuM) and let it decompose to become my top soil." If it were that easy, everyone in your neck of the woods would feet of topsoil :)
Hi, I'll admit I haven't had time to look into the links you posted Sundrop but thanks a lot. I will be looking through them in detail when I get the kids to bed tonight. We do get a lot of precipitation up here in spring and fall, my land is sloped, but I have no idea whether or not it stays saturated for long periods or runs down the hill. I guess I have some more investigating do to. The reason I've jumped into this with both feet and eyes closed is that our sawmill is having trouble moving our hog even for free. It is very likely that by next spring we will be selling our hog and it will no longer be available. It sound more and more like I shouldn't get carried away so maybe a better idea would be to get a pile of 500 yards or so and pile it in the back out of the way. This way it will decompose somewhat and I can do some trial and error and see what works best here. Anyways, I'm glad I asked the question cause I don't know what I'd do with a mountain of bark if it isn't going to work for me. Thanks for all the help
