Pine bark fines , turface in Toronto

13 years ago

For whoever is interested ,

I have finally found a great source for all the required ingredients to make the potting mix recommended by Tapla & others on the forum .

After going to a couple bonsai places and finding some ridiculous prices I ended up finding a supplier which actually grinds up the pine bark on site and some of the other components as well.

They supply a lot of the nurseries in the GTA with potting mixes , mulches , additives etc.

1 yard of pine bark fines $45

1 yard of potting mix $45 ( 30% pine bark 50%peat 15%pearlite 5% compost)

4 cubic feet pearlite $20

I got some of the potting mix and added more pine bark fines and pearlite to get the Ray Givans mix.

I was told to deal with Keith because he knew the products well and he did . He was great to deal with . Just tell him John the fig guy sent you and he'll take care of you.

They can make custom potting mixes for you if the order is large enough.

Gro Bark 905-875-4844

12300 Brittania road ( just west of Trafalger ) Milton

They also have a couple other locations in the GTA

John...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

ottawan_z5a
13 years ago
John
You did not mention Turfac pricing.
Also, the pricing may change for hobbyists who may not wish to buy 29 cubic feet (1 cu yard) bulk of mix at a time.
I als feel that Turfac will make the pot heavy for moving the pots in and out in cold climate area.
rafed
13 years ago
Akram,

Al had sent me a sample bag earlier this Summer, About a gallon size amount and it really didn't feel all that heavy.

I have yet to go out and but the ingredients to make my own.

But on the flip side,
I think the weight would work to our advantage on the windy days.
How many times have you went out to straighten up the pots after tipping over from the wind?

Sounds like a WIN WIN to me.

Rafed
ottawan_z5a
13 years ago
Rafed
I wish it was that easy for my plants to fall with heavy wind. My fig pots are always burried in ground one third from the bottom and they get really anchord after a few weeks and nothing can move them while the roots go out through the side holes of the pots to graze for nutrients and moisture. In the fall it becomes a big job to dig out the pots (labour of love).
I will still try turfac if I find it in Ottawa.
johnparav
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi guys

I didn't purchase any turface but was told that they do carry it along with crushed granite and chicken grit .
Another company that carries turface is Plant Products , and they are in Brampton. Plantprod.com
I have been reading posts about people trying Taplas gritty mix and having problems so I thought I would start with the other more traditional mix he recommends which is similar to the Ray Givans mix.
What potting mix do you guys use ?

John
ottawan_z5a
13 years ago
I use PROMAX(HP), availanle also at Rona and Canadian Tires, but I add extra perlite to it.
johnparav
Original Author
13 years ago
Ottawan

Thanks for the info . Have you ever tried Tapla's gritty mix ?
I have seen your posts all over the forum . I guess you've been growing figs for a while. I started last year and am now addicted and have 12 . Half are known varieties from Adriano the rest are from Italian and Greek gardeners.
u397
13 years ago
Some more info on this - you can get a bag (of any size) of the pine bark fines for $5. As per Keith, the price is subject to change in the future but for now it is $5. You have to bring your own bags and fill them yourself.

If you have any questions you can contact Keith at the above number posted by johnparav, or 1-800-gro-bark, or keith@gro-bark.com for more info.

I picked up three large bags and am happy with finally finding a supplier in the Toronto area. Thanks John for posting this.

Robert