I think I have finally found a source for Aged Pine Bark! I called Fafard directly and they gave me the contact info for their PA distributor. I just got off the phone and they're going to order me a pallet of 36 2cf bags of Fafard Aged Pine Bark. They deliver in my area for $20 and price per bag is $3-something (I got so excited I forgot). It may take a couple of weeks for them to get it since they don't normally stock it: Griffin Greenhouse 200 Mountain View Road Morgantown, PA 610-286-0046 Looks like they have locations along the East Coast: http://www.griffins.com/locations/index.asp Also, I picked up some more Lowes Gardenscape Pine Mulch, but it's not at all composted this time (and still has lots of sapwood and big chunks). I wouldn't recommend it.

esox07: Just went on the computer and read your posting. I hope that you found what you need. Please let us know if this bark product can be used to make the quick-draining, gritty-planting medium....the '"bark-fines" part. I guess the price is not that high considering the Repti-Bark is $20.00 a bag... and you can always use the leftovers in the future if you make too much potting mix. Just a bit more information....There's a product called: "Micro Bark" made by GreenAll but it's mainly found only on the West-Coast, and a few other states. This might help others who live in these locations. No distributors/retailers in NYC area! Why???? Who knows? Bruce,...Good luck with the peppers. I hope I helped you and others. In addition: Some posters on this thread chose to misquote and misrepresent some of the information which I posted ... especially about the subject regarding the gritty-mix, potting mediums. The purpose of these forums is to openly exchange opinions, information, and ideas... and to do so without invective, and snide recommendations, if you happen to disagree with that posted information.

Thank you to everyone in answering my questions. Since our planting season here in Florida begins February 15th for Spring planting I have to make some decisions on my soil mixture now. I read though about 30 pages of old SFG forum threads going back to 2005. I also have some thoughts after reading many of the postings. This is only my opinion based on past experiences with soiless mixtures and from what I gleamed from the postings. I believe that to have very good to excellent success with Mel's mixtures, whether you use his old formula or the new, you need to be using your own ripe compost. Nothing in a bag is going to match the richness of home-grown compost. I believe that is why some of the new people to the SFG method have lukewarm results. Here in Florida, to grow roses, our local rose society chapter recommended excavating a hole 18"x18" and filling it with a soiless mixture very much like Mel's original soil recipe. We used several organic amendments including the fine pine bark mixed with peat and compost. So, my plan is to mix my rose soil recipe for my new 4x4 foot bed and do a PH test on the finish mixture. I will have no homegrown compost in this bed, but I plan to grow mostly herbs this first season. My second bed is 4x8 and 10 1/2" deep. For this bed, I am going to use Mel's new soil proportions and use a bag of soil conditioner pine bark along with bagged manures and my own leaf compost which is a year old and totally broken down. I plan to also incorporate greensand, soft rock phosphate & gypsum, all of which I already have on hand. Again I will do a ph test on the finish bed. This bed is going to be mostly beans,limas and green pole beans and one yellow squash. We have another growning season in the Fall for lettuce, spinach and many of the other veggies you'll grow in the Spring. My third bed, another 4x8 bed, will become a compost bed for the spring and summer. Our leaf gathering and raking is just now beginning here. I will hope to get a nice load of horse manure and mushroom compost to add to the oak leaves. I will also build my three compost bins for my side dressing next year. I plan to keep a journal of the results of these soil mixtures for future beds and will gladly past along the results. I will enjoy reading your postings as the growing year nears for all of you on this forum. I have learned more from reading thru the past threads than I did attending 4 hours of classroom time for organic vegetable gardening. Thank you everyone! Mary

OK, so I know there are several old threads on this subject here and in the Texas Gardening forum, but, has anyone in the Austin/CenTex area found a reliable source for aged pine bark/fines? I need to make a mix for repotting a Jap Maple, so I was going to try "Al's Mix" and put some soil acidifier in with it. If you have a mix that you would recommend that doesn't require aged pine bark/fines, then I am all ears. My local garden center suggested I just use this Vortex potting soil. I keep reading how compost is not the best for potting mixes and that is what is in this... Thanks in advance for any thoughts or help.