Find a nursery that carries Fafard products and if they don't stock it, ask them if they are willing to order 'aged pine bark'. It's a bit on the pricey side compared to when you find other brands at big box stores, but it is good stuff.

If you can find another source that's good too, but Fafard products are pretty common at nurseries all over the place.

You can use this link, enter your zip code and find the nearest retailers.

Al.. I just looked up my zip code and no where near me carries it. and the place that is closet to my parents doesn't carry pine bark fines.

So.. what else can I use???

Hmmmm... dunno. Another brand I have used is Greensmix (they call it Soil Conditioner), but they are, I believe, a more regional source (I am in Wisconsin). You have to call them to find their suppliers, but Wal-Mart carries their brand (around here anyway).

If you indicate the state you live in others near you may be able to provide brand/sources local to you.

In florida, near okeechobee

See if anyone sells pine bark soil conditioner. It is essentially pine bark fines. Around here I get it at a local nursery and the brand name is Jolly Gardener Soil Conditioner and it says it is aged pine bark fines on the bag as well.

I know this may not help you now, but whenever I go to a nursery, greenhouse, or big box store, I ALWAYS go to where they keep the pine bark and I look at it carefully. Sometimes I'll find something soo perfect, I'll buy 20-30 bags (a whole p/u truckful). And stockpile it in the garage/shed. Other times, I might see something that's ALMOST perfect, so I make a note of where I saw it. I have never had a problem keeping the exact product I need around, and I always have several sources in mind, should I get low.

MI is a MUCH greater distance from the source of most pine bark than FL. Typically it comes from southern yellow pine, and is a secondary product of the treated lumber industry (the bark isn't treated, only the finished lumber). Reason tells me that it should actually be more readily available in the South than up here in iceberg country - but what do I know. ;o)

There really isn't much other choice unless you want to use a peat-based soil and amend it heavily with your choice of mineral materials. I suppose you could use CHCs if you found an economically acceptable source and wanted to work around their pH and potential salt issues.

I know it could be taken as harsh-sounding, but it's not meant to be, and it sounds like I want to leave you with the impression that you can't grow in anything other than a P bark-based mix, but that's not true, either; the only thing I can say is just keep looking. That's what lots of folks had to do. Then, even after you've found a good source, don't rely on it. They have a tendency to dry up from year to year and leave you scrambling at the last minute. I wish I could have helped more. ;-(

Al

Hey Breezy,

If you were in Tampa I'd be able to help you. Post this question at the Florida forum and you'll get your answer within 24 hours. Bernie's from Port St. Lucie, he'll have some idea over that way.... Are you going to ECHO this Saturday? If so send me an email and tell me how many 2CF bags you want and I'll pick them up to get you started until you find a local source.

Tom

BTW, here's a local vendor, they don't show the fines but they do sell bagged fines and that is what I'd be bringing you. You can call their toll free number to see if they have a local distributor but if you're coming to ECHO Saturday and want me to pick up some bags you'll have to tell me tonight.

Tom

Sooooo, it you could only find the larter size nugget bark, what's to keep you from putting it through your (or a good gardener friend's) chipper/shredder? Before I found a source for small bark chips, this is what I did. I did lose some volume which was pulverized to dust, but it seemed to work very well when mixed with all the other ingredients for my container mix.
Will

Tom cath...
Sorry I didn't reply sooner.. Not going to the ECHO (I have no idea what that is anyways :))

Al and everyone else..

Can I substitute potting soil for pine bark?

Also what is Naturescapes Enchanced. It looks like pine bark, can I use that?

"Can I substitute potting soil for pine bark?

Not if your intent is to end up with a well aerated soil - the purpose of using PB in the first place. Potting soil and peat would be roughly interchangeable though.

"Also what is Naturescapes Enchanced." Don't know - they don't say. "It looks like pine bark, can I use that?" I wouldn't.

Al

HI Breezy,
MY local Albertson's was my only source and they went out of business or merged or something, so I called up the manufacturer. They are Florida Mulch inc and they are in St cloud FL. I think you are nearer to them than I am ( a three hour drive). I bought half a pallet since they are wholesalers, but they may be able to accomodate you if you need smaller quanties. Can't live without my fines !!!! their tel # is 888-356-8524 They also have a web site.

Went to Lowe's yesterday and they have a lot of Garden Pro Pine Bark Mulch that looks like PBF. Small particle size and well broken down 'smaller stuff'. The bag just says "100% pine bark". Seems like it would work - I hope so because I bought some to use...

Chris

It SOUNDS like just what you need for a good 5:1:1 (or there about - whatever works best for you) soil.

Al

Al,

IS it Ok if I send you a picture this weekend of the Garden Pro stuff? Don't know how to post pix, and if it's good stuff maybe it'll help a lot of people out since I assume many Lowe's stores will carry it...

Of course. ;o)

Al

Photo of the GardenPro stuff is at:

http://photos.gardenweb.com/garden/galleries/2009/03/pine_bark_mulch_for_pbf.html?cat=container_gardening

Not as good as I first thought, some larger pieces mixed in as well as some long thin shards.. I guess I could sift it.

Chris

Looks pretty good for the 5:1:1 mix, but for bonsai soils & the gritty mix a fresh product would be better.

Al

For anyone in the Philadelphia/Wilmington area.Sweeny and sons has it labeled.organic pine soil conditioner.

Here is a link that might be useful: sweeny and sons

I just mixed a patch of 5-1-1 for potting conifers.I found that if you use Promix potting and seedling mix with the pine fines it comes out about the same.Pro-mix has spagnum peat,perlite and limestone in it,Though it might be a shotcut. Joe

Home depot sells it as a soil conditioner in Virginia. They didn't have it last fall.

Browse through stores for anything that might be remotely possible. Write down product names and manufacturers, then call/email the manufacturers to see what is in them.

Alice

I found fir bark, sifted into fine pieces, but it was $8.99/cu ft. That seems high to me...is this the right price range for bark fines?

The most I have ever paid was $12 for 2.8 cubic feet and I thought that was highway robbery.

I have also paid

I usually pay around $3.50 for 2 cu ft of unscreened pine bark, and $17 for 3 cu ft of screened fir bark, but I use 20x as much of the unscreened as screened. If you're making the 5:1:1 mix or similar, I'd look for another product. If it's screened from 1/8-1/4" pieces, it's ideal for something like the gritty mix.

Al

I am sure this stuff is regional as we don't have native pine trees up here in Western Washington. But if anyone know where I could get it in W. WA that would be great.

You'll prolly find D fir bark readily available in many forms in your area instead of pine. You should try to make sure you don't get bark from fir trees that were ponded in salt water.

Al

How would you know where the fir bark came form? i didnt see it anywhere on the bag i purchased.

I'm not sure. You could taste it or mix some in distilled water & see if the continuity (use a testor) goes way up. It seems like the packager's name should be on the bags. I've never bought a bag of bark/mulch/soil conditioner that didn't have the packager's info on the bag. A phone call with the 'ponded in salt water' question should get you an answer.

Al

Here in Michigan most of the big box retailers are just now getting in some of their garden supplies. I took a quick look for pine bark fines or "soil conditioners" at Lowe's, Meijers, and Home Depot. So far no luck, however it is still very early in the season. As mentioned, most of the retailers here are just getting started.

I'll keep looking in the next few weeks to see if I can find some pine bark fines. The catch is that most big box retailers sell different brands or types of mulch products depending on location. So, for example, a Home Depot or WalMart in Virginia or Arizona will probably have a different supplier of mulch products than the same stores here in Michigan.

I know some members of the forum use fir bark in their gritty mix, but I've never seen any local stores or garden centers in Michigan that carry fir bark. They might sell small bags of orchid or cactus mix that contain some fir bark, but that's it. However, in California fir bark seems to be readily available. It's all about location.

Several times last year I read posts from gardners in other states saying that they found pine bark fines at Home Depot or Lowe's under a specific brand name but when I inquired at my local Home Depot or Lowe's the sales people never heard of that particular brand or product.

About the only way to do this is to keep a close eye on local garden centers and stock up on pine bark fines when you do locate some!

Thanks

Dave

FWIW, I went to a local nursery who I know makes their own potting mix and they are selling me a scoop of the pine bark (mulch) they use. It doesn't look as good, isn't as composted or small as the stuff Al shows picutures of, but it'll have to do. You might look at local greenhouses in your area that also sells mulch.