have been the greatest problems to overcome in developing alternative container substrates ( Bugbee, 2002 ; Ozores-Hampton et al., 1999 ). Bark, another component of container substrates often used at rates as high as 60% to 100% by volume, is
(pine straw needles), pine bark nuggets alone (Timberline Mulch; Oldcastle ® , Atlanta, GA) (pine bark), herbicide alone (herbicide), pine straw with herbicide (pine straw + herbicide), pine bark with herbicide (pine bark + herbicide), and a bare soil
al., 2005 ; Stewart et al., 2017 ). Fertilizer placement is a strategy that has received attention in recent years. Because most nursery substrates comprising bark, peat, perlite, or sand have limited inherent nutrient content (especially plant
; Downham Nurseries, Strathroy, Ontario; Niagara-Holland Nurseries, Niagara-on-The-Lake, Ontario; and Willowbrook Nurseries, Fenwick, Ontario. Composted bark was supplied by Mori Nurseries, Niagara-On-The-Lake. The technical assistance of Bob Hamersma and
. Discrepancies in the results could be attributed to the exclusion of some of the connected interparticle pores due to air entrapment and the hydrophobic tendencies of some organic components such as peat or pine bark ( Bunt, 1984 ; Fields et al., 2014
materials; Fafard, Inc., Apopka, Fla., for providing sphagnum peat and pine bark used in this study, and Robert J. Black, Gladis Zinati, and Kelly Everitt for their critical reading of this manuscript. This research was supported in part by the Center for
correlate EAW or WBC to plant growth. Bilderback et al. (1982) compared MCC of five substrates composed of varying combinations of pine bark, peatmoss, and peanut hulls. They ( Bilderback et al., 1982 ) found that pine bark + peanut hulls had the lowest
application rate, but were affected by leaching fraction (LF) and P source. Tyler et al. (1996) decreased effluent P content by 58% when growing Skogholm cotoneaster ( Cotoneaster dammeri Schnied. ‘Skogholm’) in a pine bark substrate with a low (0.0 to 0
SHB are extensively grown do not meet these criteria and must be modified for commercial production. Pine bark is often added to rows before planting to increase substrate organic matter content and porosity, and lower pH ( Duryea et al., 1999
Abbreviations: PB, pine bark. 1 Former Graduate Research Assistant. Current address: USDA-ARS, Root Disease and Biological Control Research Unit, 367 Johnson Hall, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6430. 2 Professor. This research was