The Pros/Cons of Fir Bark as a Mulch

My season is winding down, and once again I will be prepping, and mulching my raised beds with some type of mulch.  I cannot source ramial wood chips, but I can source fir bark in various degrees of coarseness.  I realize I cannot rely on fir bark for nutrients, but if I amend my raised beds with other stuff, is there any reason not to use fir bark as the final mulch? 
 
Nigel said:
None, it will be fine. 
 
It breaks down VERY slowly, though. Much slower than hardwood bark. 
Thanks Nigel, but I seem to recall you telling me that it could affect my soil's pH in a negative fashion, no? 
 
Roguejim said:
Thanks Nigel, but I seem to recall you telling me that it could affect my soil's pH in a negative fashion, no? 
I don`t believe so, Jim, but then I don`t remember what I had for breakfast....... :halo:
 
Nigel said:
I don`t believe so, Jim, but then I don`t remember what I had for breakfast....... :halo:
Now I remember...you were speaking of oak leaves as possibly being too acidic.  Amazing that I now remember that!
 
yeah pine/fir might be a little acidic but not enough to make a big difference i think. You can always add some lime into your beds to help stabilize ph over the winter also helps with calcium.
 
For containers the coarseness really matters especially if you are using 5:1:1 ratios. But in the beds / ground it will decompose and be a much lighter ratio like the opposite 1part mulch 5 parts soil so it matters less. I'd say get the cheapest option of some good quality pine/fir bark mulch/chips
 
As a mulch it should not be much trouble.  If it was incorporated into the soil then you would probably experience some issues at least in the first year for acidity, nitrogen robbing, and growth inhibiting due to the lignin found in conifers.
 
compmodder26 said:
As a mulch it should not be much trouble.  If it was incorporated into the soil then you would probably experience some issues at least in the first year for acidity, nitrogen robbing, and growth inhibiting due to the lignin found in conifers.
Whatever mulch I go with, it will be incorporated into the soil, by hand, at season's end to make room for new mulch. This is the plan, but it is open to change. The amendments will be composted chicken manure, and alfalfa meal...maybe a bit of lime.
 
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