Have you ever tried Home Depot? I know they would have something like that, but even if it isn't the right size, you could always screen it. It is also pretty cheap, so buying multiple bags still wouldn't cost that much.

~palmsandsnow

Thanks, Al. I've seen mulch and bedding at Home Depot and Walmart, but I wasn't sure if it was the right stuff. It looked like chopped up wood rather than just the bark portion.

What I've been doing is buying Miracle Grow Cactus-Palm-Citrus potting soil and sifting out the fine particles. 75% goes to waste and the remaining 25% is bark/perlite/peat/fertilizer. No bueno!

It sounds like you are making gritty mix. You don't want composted bark fines for that. You just want small bark for the gritty. It's the same size as orchid seedling bark. I'm sure there is someplace to find orchid bark in nyc. Just check out the closest orchid society and they will know all the best stores.

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.

Hi Cricket1. I got the turface at Agway in Hicksville. Regarding the bark fines (I realize now based on your and Al's post that I need uncomposted for the gritty mix), I do have a car and would actually prefer traveling to Long Island rather than the boroughs because of lack of parking :-)

Thanks for the Turface location. (And for eloquently conveying the (parking) sentiment of a true NYC driver.)

L.A. Nolan,

I use AGWAY pine Bark Mulch (NOT nuggets) for my un-composted pine bark fines, and screen out the bigger chunks. (which I use to mulch my pots)

If they do not normally carry it, they should be able to get it for you.