mini nuggets... about the size of your thumb pad are OK

try an upper end nursery ...

sometimes you gotta pay for what you want.. rather than relying on the bigboxstore ...

all you are trying to do.. is create large air pockets.. and allow drainage .. without too much retention of water ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: the product differs.. google suggested lowes might have them ..

The kind I get out here (west coast) is fir bark, but it does the same thing. The size I use is used for mulch, and and the largest bits of bark are only 1/2".

-Babka

{{gwi:961087}}

My local Lowes has mini nuggets all the time. Phil

I tried finding it last year and had no luck with the big-box places.

I ended up finding it at a high-end nursery about 20 miles away.

I'm told that some parts of the country call it "soil conditioner".

Try this:

Here is a link that might be useful: Soil Conditioner from Lowes

I use pine bark mulch from Lowes. It is about $4 for a 3 cubic foot bag. It is very ground up with few really large pieces. It works great for me. I mix it with Miracle gro potting mix (50/50).

Agree with swmogardens, picked up a bag recently at HD called pine bark mulch - most pieces are smaller(not big like the nuggets).

BTW - swmo, there is a short cut acronym used that is similar 'swmbo'- She Who Must Be Obeyed. I think of that whenever I see one of your posts - lol.

Paul

I bought Scotts Top Soil at HD, 2 cft for $2 or so, for general use. It consists of a lot of wood chips. I thought to use that together with 1/3 Perlite and some Cedar mulch to plant 4 new hostas coming from Hallsons in pots this coming weekend. The middle of May I then will plant them into the garden.
Bernd

Paul, I always say there are only 5 words you need to know for a successful marraige: I LOVE YOU and YES DEAR.

I've also never seen anything specifically labelled "fines". Around here, all I see is mulch- shredded bark in either red, brown, or black, or a couple types of wood, like hemlock or cedar or pine. And the big bark chunks is another option..
Anything labelled "soil conditioner" here is more likely to resemble compost rather than mulch. So for my potting mix I just add shredded pine mulch, because that's pretty much all I can find.

I buy my bark fines at PETCO or PETSMART. Reptibark is the name .Used for reptile bedding.

100% natural product made from the ground bark of fir trees. Goes through a three-stage cleaning process to rid the bark of large sticks and all powdery dust and dirt. Smaller size prevents crickets from hiding in substrate.
Perfect substrate for all high humidity loving reptiles. Hygroscopic--absorbs moisture and then releases it, creating humidity. Not heat treated--allowing bark to absorb and retain moisture more rapidly.

WOW, that Reptibark is EXPENSIVE! 4quart bag for $5 ?

It also looks like it's dyed... a look I stopped in my first year of gardening.

Buy the Reptibark when it goes on sale or oder online. I buy the 10 qt. bag for $6.49 when it's on sale. Product is not dyed. That is the look of Fir Bark.

I figured it had to be expensive, as virtually everything else is at Petco or Petsmart! The cost of dog toys there is outrageous. I have a lot of hosta to pot, so I need something more economical. It's frustrating that all the box stores around here carry the same products, and all the nurseries carry the same thing as each other as well. Maybe Agway has something different- I should check that.

Thanks for the advice. I thought after a few years I was leaving the realm of being a newbie but I guess not since I walked right by the pine mulch! I will stop by HD tomorrow after work to get some so I can pot up my new arrivals.

I bought some today at Lowe's. It was pine bark mulch out of Arkansas. They called the larger one decorative mulch. I'm sure their stock varies by region.

bkay