Thanks so much for your attention, Ed!! I'm planning on reusing my mixes if possible as well so I'm happy to know it can be done. I wasn't that worried about pH, since like you said I can add vinegar to my water. And I'm using MG liquid fertilizer for now, which is also acidic. Although my water is alkaline. I just thought that when you have more nutrients than needed that it got in the way of uptake of other nutrients. But is that not the case when using liquid? I also read that too much lime dust on new roots can be bad. But that was talking about crops so maybe it doesn't apply here... Maybe I'll ask over at Al's long running Fertilization post for confirmation. I'd really hate to disturb those plants if I don't have to. Thanks for giving me so much hope!!

I have seen where the Pine Bark Fines is referred to as 'soil conditioner' as well as the Turface being referred to as 'soil conditioner'. What exactly is Turface, They are both "soil conditioners" Pine Bark fines are organic. Turface is calcined Montmorillonite clay. Check your area for John Deere Landscape suppliers. If you can't find that then check your Tractor supply for "Oil Dry" in 40# bags. It will need to have the fines removed with an 1/8th inch screen. I've also read that it was like kitty litter, isn't that the same as the grit? So confused! :S the kitty litter is a clay product. The chicken grit is often a crushed granite product. It is a volume and aeration additive (?) that does not soak up water like the clay or the bark. I plan on buying the Reptibark for my Gritty so I won't have to screen and not for sure what I will need to get for the 5-1-1 bark fines. For the 5-1-1 mix check out the pine bark soil conditioners. See if it is ground to a fairly small size and is 100% pine. I have seen some that have other items like ground forest products whick are of questionable background. Locally I have Lowes, Tractor Supply, and Atwoods. I called Tractor Supply and they carry the Manapro grit for $4.99 and Atwoods has a 5lb bag of grit for $2.87 (they didn't know what brand). Then do I need to get the Lime and Gypsum for both (which for which mix?) or can I get just one of the two to use on both mixes? If I understand it correctly the lime is added to the 5-1-1 mix at the rate of 1 tablespoon per gaollon of mix. Seems that the ph of the 1-1-1 mix warrants the use of gypsum in the mix and then epsom salts are added to the water to help free up Ca and Mg. I don't have to make very much so I really don't want to have to buy 50 lb bags of all this! lol Also, what exactly to do for both on the fertilizer that's listed? you can add a Controlled release fertilizer or it is recommended to water with a weak fertilizer solution. Tapla has written on this and is worth the read Thank you so much for the help and sorry for all the q's! Thanks Al for all the help you are giving everyone!

it looks like the mix you made will enhance uneven drying out process. It seems to have too many fine particles and a few big pieces that will gravitate towards the top as the finer stuff settles towards the bottom and staying wet far longer than the top.

I don't think you should leave the lime out. It has two purposes: 1) to raise the very low pH of the pine bark and peat, and 2) to supply calcium and magnesium that most fertilizers don't provide. Your hard water will take a long time to raise the pH. If you're concerned about it, you can add some white vinegar to the water to bring it down. You would need to test the pH of your water, then add vinegar a tablespoon at a time, and retest until the pH drops below 7. I have very hard water and all my clay pots have those deposits. I add a tablespoon of vinegar to my water when I can. I use a hose in the summer because I have way too many containers to water to do each one from a watering can every time. I really don't think my plants are suffering from the hard water. Check the pH of your rain water. It's likely to be better, but with pollution, it could be too acidic.