Research from the Department of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, authenticates the use of PBH Nature’s Media Amendment as a partial replacement for pine bark in nursery stock container media. PBH is parbioled rice hulls from Riceland Foods.
Specifically the research concludes that pine bark substrates amended with up to 40% PBH Nature’s Media Amendment will not decrease plant growth or increase the volume or frequency of irrigation for the production of container-grown Spirea over one (25 weeks) and two (70 weeks) growing seasons.
Based on the research, pine bark-based substrates amended with up to 40% PBH retained physical properties that were generally within current guidelines for nursery container substrates after one or two growing seasons. Decomposition was not an issue.