Drake: I also was able to locate a couple of suppliers that provide Fafard products. I KNOW that many would say they were very lucky if they could find anyone that provides Fafard mixes that come very close to the 5.1.1 mix. If you find one, let us know, will you? Hastings Garden Center 3920 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta, GA, 30319 Phone: 404-869-7447 Fax: Distance: 9.46 miles longitude: -84.3291 latitude: 33.8768 Gary's Garden Ctr.Wholesale 6100 Lawrenceville Hwy Tucker, GA, 30084 Phone: 770-381-7355 Fax: Distance: 12.28 miles longitude: -84.2154 latitude: 33.8539 Ash-Simpson Garden Center 4961 Peachtree Blvd Atlanta, GA, 30341 Phone: 770-458-3224 Fax: Distance: 11.61 miles longitude: -84.2782 latitude: 33.8901 Mike

Actually the Farfard #52 is considered a reasonable replacement for the gritty mix, not an additive. I would feel comfortable using it in its entirety for a potted JM - I use a prepackaged soil mix very similar to that myself for all my JM's.The other Farfard mixes that are usually available in retail outlets don't quite measure up in terms of quality and durability. Can you ask your source to special order the #52 for you? If unable to take this shortcut with the Farfards #52 and continue on with your homemade gritty mix, I'd persist in my quest for bark fines. Using another soil mix is just not an appropriate substitute. Bark fines can often be found under the label of "soil conditioners" - and they do not have to be pine. You can also often find them sold in pet stores as reptile bedding ( at a pretty inflated price, btw).

I can't say about the size. I've heard of people running it through a lawn mower, an old blender or a leaf blower-vac. I just put some in a wide container and get a set of pruning clippers, the ones with the leverage built in, and go to town. Screen and repeat. FYI this counts as part of your upper body workout.

L.A. Please do tell what your Turface source was. AFAIK (for non-mail order) some from NYC have used SiteOne at $27+/bag (was John Deere Landscaping) out in NJ or a garden center out in Long Island. Recall others here said they did pickups in Brooklyn (Gravesend) from a residential house/mail-order Bonsai business, but personally I never got a response to inquiries.) There are much more serious NYC growers here (often in C&S) who'll probably post, but I'll summarize my own limited experiences in case it helps. Probably depends a lot on where in the city you are. If you drive it's often quicker to head out of the city than thread through it to find media components. And it may be cheaper to pay high shipping charges for mail order, than what might be spent on gas and tolls to source things. uncomposted bark for 1:1:1 gritty mix: After screening, I find about half of a ReptiBark bag is between 1/4"-1/8". I never found anything else local. Looked for orchid clubs, but they seem to have few and irregular meetings (schedules like "third Sat of every other month unless postponed") with only a random chance of bark for sale. (Unless there are some with absolutely no online presence.) Get the impression that since Nero Wolfe left the city, Westchester and Long Island may be better bets for orchid societies. Only ever found one reference to a "show" with vendors, and that was out in Suffolk County. Mail order has many options. Especially if you don't want to screen. Some here reported using a fir-bark vender in OH (Roberts), but I've gotten the best price from a vendor in PA (FirstRays), because of closer=cheaper shipping and regular discounts. They sell Besgrow's Orchiata bark - it's a processed and sized pine-bark for orchids. Precision grade at 4-6 mm and Classic at 6-9 mm. "partially-composted" bark for 5:1:1: Most commonly find (unusable) cedar mulch stocked in and near NYC. Sometimes see (huge) pine bark nuggets (but don't have access to a metal-blade leaf-mulcher-vac, and the nuggets are too dense - or my car too light - to crush them as people here say). Occasionally see shredded pine mulch (unusable bark+wood mix). Never located anything good at HD or Lowes. If you're near the trendier parts of Brooklyn, Gowanus Nursery carries a soil conditioner (aged pine bark fines) that has been reported either good, or too small/composted (sounds like you have to check the bag). Others have used Agway-associated garden centers on L.I. (Hicksville is closest), or Northern NJ, for their brand, but have to check stock or ask if they'll order. Also, for stuff like perlite, some here have mentioned a larger hydroponic shop in Queens. Never been there, but think they mean Hydroponic Garden Center/Beer Brewing Supplies in Flushing. There was an old-time Agway associated pet/feed store in the Bronx (Morrisania), but heard it closed a couple of years back.