Hi Mike,If you dont mind telling us what exactly did you use for your bark fines?Soil conditiner,Pine bark mulch,ect.Or were you able to find somthing labled as pine bark fines?
If it was soil conditioner was it 100% pine bark?

Kevin,
The bark is alot easier to get than you may think. If anyone in your area sells Orchids or Bonsai plants, they carry bark. Most nurseries sell it. I buy orchid bark, the same size as in Al's picture, and I buy a more decomposed one too that a soil producer here gives me, because I have a friend that works there. Ut using just Orchid bark is very good. I just use less of it to save money.
The bark they use as a base for most potting soils> In fact if your were to strain any potting soil out, the only thing left behind would probably be the bark size you need.Plus the perlite and vermiculite if any...
I never use bark mulch, but if I was deperate and that is all I could use, I would strain that too and use it. Use the stuff left in the strainer once all the tiny fines hit the ground. Throw that stuff on the ground in your Garden..:-)
Trust me, if your Garden center sells any orchid bark, small size, you are in luck...:-) Hope this helps.
Please let me know how it goes ok. You might run out tonight to get some now..You might even buy tons of bags like I did..lol

Thanks MIke,
I was under the impression that the Orchids bark was too big.
I think I have seen Schultz brand Orchids mix around,maybe I will check that out.
You would be very supprised,as I was,to see that most of the nurseries around here no nothing about what Im asking them.
But thats a whole nother story LOL!
I will take your advice and see if I can find what I need by asking for Orchids bark at my local nurseries.
Once agin thanx for your help ;-)

Kev, want to laugh!! I just got back from my nursery, and a guy I like there, that has been there for over TEN years, had no idea of what TURFACE was.. I almost dropped my pants!
I had to explain it to him. Then I even went as far as to explain Al's mix. He said he is dying to try it, since he hates peat moss! Ready!!He says he kills his houseplants to with root rot!!lol
He even said, that he could find alot of BARK fines, just never knew of what else he could use to mix with it, to keep soil from drying out so fast.
So he wants me to make him some...Al, if your out there, make tons of the soiless mix and sell it..You'd be a millionaire..lol
But from what I see and experienced with this good man, he is not out to make a killing, just out to help us stop killing our dreams to being sucessful at growing what we like!:-)
Take care, and if Al has seen this post, he knows how much we appreciate his help and kindness!!

LOL! :-0
And definitely another big thanx to Al.

meyermike, I know exactly what you mean about people in the nursery, garden business, big box stores that had NO idea what turface was. I had to go to a local Golf Course and asked to speak to the maintenance manager, I asked him if he could order it for me. With that I still had to explain to him what I needed it for, LOL...No one in my area sells it. The closest was over two hours away...Like you said thank goodness we have Al! He has helped so many of us and never gets tired or angry when we ask him all those questions...

Not trying to hi-jack the thread but since we are talking about it...Isnt turface also sold under other names,like the more widely available Schultz brand aquatic plant potting mix?

Sure is, just smaller packages at a much higher per pound price

..... lots of very kind words in this thread, and much more credit than I deserve. The real credit goes to those that keep an open mind & who aren't afraid to try something a little different than what they're used to. ;o) Thanks, guys.

Al