Blueboy,

Have you looked at Walmart to see if they sell the purple bags just called pine mulch? I know in some parts of the country they are not available. I run those bags through 1/2" screen connected to my cement mixer and it is about 50/50 acceptable and too big. The bigger pieces I have just been throwing on the blueberries and the smaller pieces go in the soil mix. Let me know how the chipper works out.

How about using a car on concrete?

Screen out the stuff that's small enough, drive over that to big, and repeat.

I looked at my Wallmart and they didn't have the product, but I found some at a private nursery, they make it themselves, and the biggest piece is 3/4 inch, most is slightly smaller. Very little powder too! I'm thinking about using coir. Even though more like peat, it lasts longer and does hold air from what i understand. A university found pine bark at 80% was not low enough in PH. So the pine bark is not keeping PH low in the mix, peat is. Also if coir is too fine, coconut husk chips at a 6-12 MM inch could be used. They have 50 gallon bales for $60.00.
This would probably be a great replacement for pine bark, it lasts longer for sure, up to 4 years versus 2 years for pine bark. Although I can get pine bark cheaper. I have 5 bags on hand too. 12mm is .4 inches, so size is good!
Coir is not expensive and I saw one university used peat, coir and perlite (I prefer pumice, but again expensive).
I use a mineral mix for my cacti, so have pumice on hand, looking for a cheap price.

I tried the truck running over method, didn't seem to work too well. I'm thinking about just using the pine bark mulch in bags white wood and all then just uping the N2 fert untill the white wood breaks down. Walmart doesn't carry the purple bag here and I've never seen coco fiber around here. I know a guy in Lake Jackson using pine bark with white wood to grow citrus in pots and he just ups the N2 while it breaks down. I'm just getting lazy and tired of mixing soil. There's got to be an easier way!

Fafard 52 mix is 60% pine bark, the rest is peat, perlite, and vermiculite. Excellent mix! The Fafard website (fafard.com) has a store finder but not many stores carry this professional grade potting soil, they make many types, so even if they do carry the brand might not have mix 52. But any of their mixes is excellent.
Also I buy a lot of stuff from amazon
Coco peat block (11 pounds -15 gallons-after adding water to expand). costs $16.95) buy 3 of them or have your shopping cart at $35.00 and shipping is free.
I have never used it yet, but as I said a University in a study of blueberry production used it.
Brandybb pointed us to the link under another thread on coir.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blueberries in Pots Project

Blueboy

Some Lowe's stores carry a bag labeled "Soil Conditioner", and some stores don't. And the contents can vary. Sometimes it is crushed pine bark in about quarter inch pieces, other times the material is decomposed and dark. The bags with the pine bark content are much lighter in weight than the other type.

Benny

Bam, I think I found the purple bag of pine bark mulch at wal-mart last night. Its clear on the back of the bag and purple on top right? The pine nuggets they carry also looked to be one inch or less as well. Thats about the size Ive been using for years now mixed with peat and perlite. I went on a recon mission yesterday to find decent pine bark mulch. Went to several landscaping places, several lowes and home depots and all the walmarts in between. Found the purple bags at 2 walmarts. Its on like donkey kong now!!! All my blues will be in 30 gallon pots by the end of the week. Pray for my back ;)

Ditto on the "soil conditioner."

I have used scores of cubic feet of it in potting soil over the years.

The slightly coarser version (chips maybe kitchen match head size) and the finer version both work fine.

BB,

If it is Walmart brand, purple bag and is just labeled pine mulch that is the one. Mixing soil by hand is for the birds, buy a cheap cement mixer. I use it for mixing up soil batches.....I have trommel screens for it also for screening the pine bark (1/2 screen) and for screening perlite (1/4 screen).

{{gwi:56337}}

Lol, I was refering to moving my huge 30 gallon pots Bam! But yes, I am still mixing my soil with a tarp a batch at a time. That part doesnt take to long but it does get old. The worst part for me picking out all the white wood. Thats why I like the nuggets because the white wood is in big pieces too and its easily removed but time consuming. Then the breaking up of pine bark comes into play hence the wood chipper. I guess if I had a cement mixer and trommel I could just go bagged mulch like you do. You got it set up right though!