For the 5:1:1 mix, a product like you see @ 6 & 9 would be best, while the product @ 12 would be perfect (prescreened 1/8-1/4) for the gritty mix. Bark is where you find it ...... and I'm not being flippant when I say that. The bark product is sold under a variety of descriptors, mulch, landscape mulch, pine bark mulch, soil improver, clay soil improver, clay soil buster, pine bark fines, among them. In your area, you might find fir bark that looks like the pine bark in my pictures - possibly even redwood. The idea is, you're looking for a Goldilocks product - not too large - not too small - just right is what you'd like to find, ultimately.

BTW - Reptibark is usually used in the gritty mix, and you're talking about the 5:1:1 mix, so I think there's some confusion somewhere.

Al

Tapla,
thankyou for the reply. I had a hard time finding my post again what with the underscore in my name and all.

Anyway, I did not understand your references..
" product like you see @ 6 & 9 would be best, while the product @ 12 would be perfect"

apologize if I am being a little obtuse... I really am looking for something I can just go and buy. Since I am short on time and this is going to be "take a day off work, ship the kid off to daycare and make a giant batch of containers " kind of thing. I don't want to make mistakes ... so if you are aware of any specific things people in the PNW have been using with success I would love to hear it.
Thanks much.

Hi Ani_t,
Do you have an Agway near you? They are selling 3 cu ft. bags of "pine bark mulch" for around $6 a bag. You have to sift it, but I get about 2/3 out of it once it goes through a 1/2 in mesh. You can also get the perlite and sphagnum moss there.

I did a quick google search but no luck finding an Agway near you. You might also want to look at Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart. Others have found pine bark in their mulch sections.

Here is a link to a pic of my sifting set up:
http://www.bluebusinessdev.com/Portals/1/Gallery/580/2012/SoilMakingStep1.JPG

The bag is on the left.

Best,
Dan

Ani: I think Al was referring to the photo he's used in several of the threads on container mixes and water retention. The numbers refer to the times on a clock. I don't have a link to the image handy, but I do have a link to a long discussion of where to find ingredients for Al's mixes below. Also note that most of us do not screen any ingredients for 5-1-1. The dust is fine, especially outside in large containers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Where to find ingredients for Al's mixes