Muck (I mean compost or humus) is NOT in most Fafard mixes. I've used Fafard products for many years and have never seen a potting medium with compost or humus.

I'd suggest that you consider one of the Fafard commercial products listed in the attached link (below). Click on the Medium weight medium and take a look at 3-B, the product I've used for 20 years. In my opinion, it is far superior to Pro-Mix. Then, click on the Heavy weights to look at 3-S, the mix and I am going to be trying out next year. I have a feeling that I might be making a switch.

I looked at the packaging of their typical retail products and wouldn't use any of them for containers. Does the mix you're talking about include fertilizers, too? Unfortunately, any of those retail products look like trouble to me.
http://www.fafard.com/cList2.aspx?cID=Canadian%20Soil (Potting mixes for the Retail Trade.)

I've been recommending Fafard products for many years, but have learned to specify 'Commercial or Professional' mixes, and not that retail stuff. Develop a good relationship with your favorite locally owned garden center or nursery and they will probably get some in for you.

Worm castings don't have much of a place in a good container medium, which should be 'built' with a coarse structure in mind. They might be okay in a seasonal planting, but I really don't see the benefit.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fafard

hi Rhizo, Hoped you would give your opinion.

Actually I have been gardening for years but I am giving up on the grub war so containers are new to me.

I should have specified that I am only interesed in growing vegetables and I will be using 14 to 18 gal plastic containers. I don't know if that makes a difference in using retail or commercial fafard mixes. There are only 2 garden centers in my area and they peddle the 2 mixes that I listed in last correspondence. A hardware store carries the pro mix which I thought might be a good starting point since it is primarily peat moss with a wetting agent that I know you don't like.

The commercial mixes listed on the fafard site say they are conducive to growing bedding and foliage plants etc but I don't see veggie plants in any of the listings. Do you think it advisable to use pine bark for growing vegetables? I hope to also use this potting/container mix for many years to come. Thanks for your help.

The reason for the pine bark is to create a very porous, fast draining, coarse textured planting medium. It is a fine additive to your veggie container garden. The more roots that our plants are able to grow, the better! It is only in a very porous planting medium that this can happen. More roots equals more vigorous and productive plants. It's quite astonishing, really, once you make the switch.

In a pinch, I've used Pro-Mix (50%), plus a bark soil conditioner, additional perlite, and Turface (50%). I'll probably be looking for the grit, which Al (Tapla) says can be found in feed stores.

Mind you, I have not examined that particular Fafard in person. It sounds awful, but in all fairness, I'm merely going by the ingredients. Perhaps I need to find some and get my hands into it. I'll be able to tell by either looking at it or touching it if it's a good potting medium.

Feel free to email me directly should you have any questions; I'll be happy to help (if I can).

OK, finally lucked out. Found a place that is going to sell me last year's 2.8 cf professional sun-gro for $6 a bag. They had cut 2 holes in it for two squash plants and I remember thinking how nice their plants looked growing out of the bags this summer. And I feel better as it contains bark and bark ash. Very light mix and there is plenty available.