Wine Corks - has anyone added chopped corks to their soil

Has anyone tried putting natural corks (not the synthetic ones) thru a chipper/shredder and using it in your garden to help the texture and prevent compaction? I saw this on a site that recycled natural corks and sold it ground for various things, a garden soil additive being suggested...but I have a source for them and can ensure only natural cork is used...seems like a good organic additive unless I'm missing something.

I also posted this in the organic forum.

Read more: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1408157/#ixzz3q4Lw3rsQ

Natural cork is the bark from a Cork Oak. Sounds like it would be fine, I have not heard of allelopathic properties of oak bark.
Please report back in a year or two to let us know how it went.

I would have to qualify "It could be great" by adding "if the size distribution of particles in the soil is conducive to it making a difference and you are using it in a medium that supports adequate water retention and CEC (nutrient retention) before adding the cork.

The cork oak (Quercus suber) got its latin binomial because it's extremely rich in suberin, a natural lipid polymer that restricts water transport across cell walls. Cork is extremely hydrophobic, even repels water from it's surface, so it will reduce water and nutrient retention while retaining its structure for a very long time. The reduction in water retention can be made into a significant plus, or something on a minus depending on how it's used. It couldn't be allelopathic because everything (chemically speaking) is locked so tightly in it's hydrocarbon chains that are practically impervious to breakdown by soil organisms.

I can think of several ways to maximize its usefulness and minimize shortcomings, but if everyone's eyes are already glazed over ............

Al

the whole corks would be an unusual mulch or topping to potted plants- but might float away!

Some people put styrofoam into big pots, you could use corks that way.

I'm curious as to how well your shredder can handle them.

I pot many orchids in both real and fake cork. These and coconut husks are my favorite mediums. SO uses a picture frame chopper and makes me a gallon bag at a time. I cut them to size based on the orchid's root and plant size. I recently ran out and used a large, sharp knife to make more. It was easy. The residual yeast and fungi are thought to be beneficial micorrhizae. I solicit friends to save corks. If you have access through a restaurant or bar you're in luck.

Geez, did I hit some bad keys.

This message was edited Nov 17, 2015 2:07 AM

that's interesting!

Ok two burning questions-
1- What is "fake cork"?
2-what is a "picture frame chopper"?
I love this website, I learn so many things!

Fake cork is the synthetic stopper that some producers are using to replace real cork. It's cheaper than real cork and avoids cork taint that bitter, rancid taste that sometimes happens wuth real cork. Thus the term "corked" wine or a "corked" bottle. I use it with orchids but wouldn't add a synthetic to the garden.

A frame chopper is something like a manual paper cutter. It's used to make exact cuts for picture frame moldings.

I took a few photos of the 'chids in cork. The last one is course perlite and cork. The only downside is plastic pots tip easily so they go into terracotta as well.