PS... I am going to post some pics of my setup and peppers/tomatoes ASAP.

Thanks again!

Don't use vermiculite and sand.They pack down making cement for your roots to try and dig through.
Oldest potting soil recipe around is 50/50 perlite and peat.

Here are some mixes I make.
5 parts fine bark
1 part peat
1 or 2 part pearlite
-------------------------------------
10 parts fine bark
4 parts planter mix-not potting soil.
4 parts peat
4 parts perlite
4 parts pomice
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5 parts bark
4 parts potting soil
4 parts peat
8 parts pomice
-----------------------------------------
2 parts planters mix
2 parts peat
1-2 parts perlite
I've used fine orchid bark but it's expensive.Use fine only.
Your bark should be as close in size as your perlite and or pomice.
I use sifted Pomice for weight in some pots.Gotta get the sand out by sifting or it packs down like concrete after a while.
Some places call the chopped up bark Pine Bark Fines.
Partially composted bark from mills.

I'm still trying to find the perfect soil mix.
One that doesn't dry out in 100 degree heat in Aug. but doesn't waterlog in wet weather.

All I grow are hot peppers.
Check out Tapla's post about container growing in that forum.

Don't use that cheap potting soil for seed starting.

Where can one obtain some fine bark, or is grinding up some bagged bark mulch the way to go?

Thanks!

I don't mix my own any more but when I did it wasn't exact--something like

a 40 lb bag of top soil
3 or 4 shovels of peat
3 or 4 shovels of perlite
a yogurt cup of lime

Mix and adjust till you have a nice loose mixture.

Home Depote,Nurseries carry the bark.
I think Tapla names a few brands in the Container forum.

The first mix is really fast-doesn't work well in summers 100 degree heat.Gotta water a couple times a day.

2nd one holds a lot more water.It's good for large containers-big tall plants you don't want to mess with often and need the weight to anchor it down in the wind.

#3 had too much sand from the potting soil and dirt from the composted forestry products(planter Mix) when it settled after repeated watering.

#4 trying to get the cheepest mix that would work.Holds too much water in the winter.

The bark in these really helped with drainage.It seemed if I put in more perlite the plants didn't like it.Maybe the bark broke down just enough to add missing nutrients or something.

I do have a unique growing space.
Against a white wall,facing south.
Late July-Sept almost cooks a lot of plants.Even with shade cloth(80%sunscreen).
I get my pods mostly in late spring or around early Dec.
anything on my plants in Aug.gets cooked.
In the winter the roof waters my plants when it rains.Thus my need for quick soil mixes for that time.
I can't put up a gutter for the runoff from the roof.Not my property.Can't put my plants elseware or they will be in the way.

I add Bonemeal to my soil mixes.Im don't like time release ferts.
I add liquid Calcium(Foli-Cal)during budding and fruiting.

I water with Fish emultion and seaweed extract 1/8th or less each time I water.
I try to get soil mixes so I only have to water every other day in general.During Aug. I water daily.

I use bennificial insects and bio safe products,no poison.

Or just get a big bale of Pro Mix

Can't find pro mix here.

Tried most of the other soils sold locally and didn't like the sand in a lot of them.
Others just weren't what I wanted
.Ended up having to mess with them so I've been playing with making my own.
Heck if it was too easy I'd have to get another hobby. :)
The simplest and cheepest one seems like it might be ok with bark added.
I just made up a batch of

1 part planter mix
2 parts perlite
1 part bark.

My plants grew great during the summer in just Planters mix but it holds too much water in the winter.

If I remember right Pro mix for containers is Peat 75-85%,Perlite-15-20%.
Thats why I started messing with those ingrediants.

I just looked at their dealer locator and it couldn't find a dealer within 99 miles of me-the finder won't go 3 digits. LOL

Hey everyone,

I did some running around my area today, and Lowe's has some Orchid bark, but I am not sure if it was "fine" grade. The pieces of bark were roughly the size of a dime. Is this fine grade?

If so, I was thinking about using Smokemaster's recipe from the previous post, using Miracle-Gro's Organic Potting Mix and the bark I just mentioned. I would use some Perlite and possibly some left over vermiculite as well.

Thoughts???

Thanks, I appreciate the help! I'm getting hooked!

Not a fan of peat-based mixes. It's OK as a small component but not as the primary ingredient IMO. I'd second the suggestion to search for "Al's mix", in the container forum.

Thats some good information over there...

I wish I had known there was a container gardening forum in the first place!

Thanks everyone. Mucho appreciated.

Looks like this when mixed up.

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Not a bark expert in the least, how does double ground bark compare to fine grade bark?

I found some bulk a little ways away and don't want to make the trip if it is a waste of time. Research online has shown that double ground bark seems to be of different texture than fine.

Thanks.

I never heard of double ground bark.
From the pictures it looks a lot like the planter mix I use as part of my potting soil recipes,except the planter mix is composted.
The double ground might be too fine.
You want the perlte and bark as close to the same size as possible.It doesn't pack together and leaves airspace for the roots.
The bark doesn't really do anything other than suck up some nitrogen as it breaks down and airate the roots.
Some articles I've read say that the breaking down of the bark after a couple years starts to become usable to the plant.
Thats part of the reason some people like to use it for longer lasting mixes.
There are other articles that say the opposite though.

As a side note.Soils with as much wood products as I use Have to be lightly fertilised with a high nitrogen fertileser constantly to compensate for the uptake from the bark as it breaks down.

I personally think the mixes I've been playing with seem better the second season.
Maybe it takes that long for the nutrients to balance out or something.
My tree habanero was in a 15-20 gal. container for about 6 yrs with no problems.I had to re pot it this year because there was only about 7 gal. of soil left in the container.

When my containers get low on organics i just put in more peat and or planter mix and a little bark if it needs it in the old soil (usually several pots at a time).

Growing in a mix that is mostly inorganic ingredians is almost like hydroponics.
I like it because I can somewhat control whats going on with my plants.

I would buy a couple pots worth of different ingrediants to see what works best in your climate and the way they grow.

You really should read Taplas posts.Here is basically the same post as a sticky on another site so it's easier to go through and find.

The conversation has been going on for a long time.Good info if you want to play with different ideas about soil mixes from a lot of different people.

Here is a link that might be useful: soil mix-water retention

The lime and sulfur will cancel each other out. Lime is to neutralize the acid from the peat, but sulfur will add it back in again.

Just a quick follow up.

The only fine grade mulch I can find anywhere around here is hardwood mulch and not bark mulch.

If I do end up having to order this stuff online, where can I get the best deal?

Thanks a million!

Try to find fine bark at an orchid dealer.Orchids are grown in fir bark specifically.You certainly can get it online at any orchid supply and its very light in weight so should ship cheap.Most hydropinic suppy's have quality growing medium.

I would think shipping would make it expensive.
I never buy big heavy stuff online.Just seeds and a few toys.

I get my stuff at a nursery up the street or Home Depote a couple miles down the street.

Orchid bark-Fine

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http://www.greenarrownurseries.com/gallery/album163/Farmers_Organic_Planter_Mix_Group_PUB

Here is a link that might be useful: green arrow nursery