Hey Ron

I buy regular pine bark mulch at lowes and screen out the large pieces until I have the size I want. Id say about 30% is what I consider unusable for my potted citrus trees and other container plants. The rest I just throw out on the flower bed.

Mike

Thanks for the quick response, Mike. That will be my backup plan. I know that the Lowes in Tulsa also carries Black Kow composted manure, which I like to use with the Back To Nature cotton burr compost I get at Stringer Nursery.
Ron z

Ron,

You might call a regular nursery (meaning not a big box store like Lowe's/Home Depot) to ask if they carry the product. Sometimes pine bark fines are also sold under the name "soil conditioner".

Good luck!
Lynn

I bought soil conditioner two years ago at Home Depot. It was really good and was about $4.00 or so for 2 cubic feet. This past year I could not find it. However, I can still get pretty good bulk fine pine bark mulch at the sod store north of the river on Memorial in Bixby.

I think the name is Easton Sod. It is not the one further north, it is the one on the flat area just north of 131st. You can see the pine mulch close to the road when you drive by. Occasionally it will have a lot of large pieces, but is usually mostly small pieces. I use it for mulch or planting medium for blueberries, and it is great. It costs $22 for a large scoop which I suspect is a little less than 1 cubic yard, so it works out to a little less than $1 per cubic foot.

I forgot to mention that you will need a pickup to get it in bulk. My full-sized pickup can hold three scoops (barely) when it is dry and I have a tarp to cover it. Normally two scoops is all I can handle.

I think there is a other location in Glenpool that carries the same stuff.

Thanks, scottokla-
I will check it out.
Ron z

After an exhausting search, I finally found Pro-Mix at Worleys Greenhouse Nursery in Tulsa (they did not have it in, but ordered me two bags for pickup on Saturday)- 2.8 CF bags are $21.00. They do not have the pine bark fines in now, but said they would be receiving some soon.
Ron Z

Believe it or not I got all the pine bark fines that I needed last fall at Reasor's Grocery Store. Just a thought.

Charlie

Check out Sander's Nursery. I think I may have seen some there last yer.

adellabedella-
Good idea- they were not listed when I was checking Tulsa nurseries, but they show up if you check Oklahoma nurseries. I will check them out.
crm2431-
not (lol) just kidding- I have seen various garden products at Reasor's in Tulsa, but don't remember seeing PBFs. I'll keep an eye on them (I only go there about 3 times a week), but I expect they may have more gardening products in Tahlequah than in Tulsa.
ron z

Wow RON!

Thanks for the tip on pro-mix! I was quoted $47 for 3.8 cubic feet earlier this week. Just couldn't stomach it!

A quick google on Worleys and I'm confused. Location, ron?

this is a little off topic but relevant. Im going to need about 2 cubic yards of soil to fill my raised beds. anyone have a good place. Sutherlands on 21st sells a good growers mix $17 a half yard and topsoil $15 a half yard. I was wondering if anyone knew a place cheaper. Ill pick it up myself.

thanks
Mike

I'm looking for pine bark fines around Grove in North East Oklahoma and also Black Cow.

sopamanda-
No wonder you were confused- I also googled for Worleys location and was ready to drive to downtown Tulsa, but fortunately I called to make sure of their location. The google location is in error. They are located st 7400 S Owasso Expressway (Hiway 169) in Owasso.

Anyone who is not familiar with them MUST check them out. Their nursery is HUGH! They grow their own container annuals, tomatoes,etc. and have all kinds of soil conditioners. This is not a plug for them, but I have gardened in Oklahoma for decades and have never met anyone so knowledgeable and helpful as Doug Worley. If they do not have it, they will order it for you.
I ended up buying the Pro-Mix, some pine bark fines, Worleys own container mix, and straw.
They are concerned about the misleading address, but have not been able to get it corrected. They also have a nursery in Skiatook, and someplace else that I do not remember.
Ron Z

I get my pine bark fines in OKC at American Plant Products. I think I paid about $4 for 3 cf of them in plain white bags (sounds like something sinister, huh?). I would call ahead and ask if they will sell you some because you can't find them at other places. Usually, they are very willing to help you out.

Ron, I'm curious, are you going to do Al's 5:1:1 mix with them? I tried this last year for the first time, with slight modifications.

Susan

Susan-
Yes, I am going to do some containers using ALs 5-1-1 mix, some using Pro-Mix (with added perlite and spaghnum peat moss), and some with my usual mix of Jiffy Soil Conditioner with added perlite and Black Cow Manure, then a few tomato plants in the garden.
I am going to grow a few tomato varieties in each mix to find out which works best for me.
By the way- before I went to Worleys, I purchased a couple of 2-cf bags of Spaghnum peat moss at Home Depot at $9.47 each- I did not check at Worleys, but Iam not going to pay that much again.
Ron Z

By the way, Worleys Nursery and Greenhouse is also HUGE, as well as being HUGH (typo) LOL.
Any interest in starting a thread to discuss Tulsa area container gardening issues - local availability, sales/discounts, growing recommendations, successes?
Ron Z

Yes, to the thread on Tulsa area container gardening issues. I live in BA and am getting ready to build some raised beds (4x4). I also am interested in successfully pot growing some tomatoes. At your recommendation, I will be checking out Worleys this next week.

Sandy