btw since Im in an apartment, even though its a large apartment, I just cant really do any outdoor composting or anything like that. Although I do have a good amount of storage for bags of soil/mulch and grow supplies ...

The container garden forum has good info on adding pine bark into mix . I found some smaller chip stuff and added it this year with good results. You may also want to look into vermicomposting forum. Something to check in the vermi forum people are helping each other out with some starters.

From what I've heard, cedar might have chemicals that inhibit root-growth.
In habitat, this is obviously an advantage...but perhaps not so good in containers.
However, if composted for an appropriate amount of time, it might be just fine.

Make sure that you're using the durable outer bark, not the interior sap-wood.

Josh

BAD BAD BAD idea to use cedar. cedar and juniper are both full of oils that are "toxic".....thats why they make cedar chest to store clothes in and especially for wool clothing, because bugs stay away from it.

if i were you and wanted to get chips, i would get hold of a local tree trimmer who uses a chipper and try to get a bag or two of hardwood chips.....maybe have a 6 pack of beer to trade, that always helps.....but the thing is if you add the chips in, for quite a while they are going to tie up all the nitrogen, and maybe other things in the soil. i'm no expert on this, but CEDAR IS A BAD IDEA----good luck with it

Hardwood chips are a bad idea, as well.
The sap-wood especially binds nitrogen as it decomposes, causing potential deficiencies and
possible heat-spikes.

Truly, the outer bark of Pine or Fir is the best solution.
The outer bark doesn't break down readily, which means that there won't be heat-spikes.
Also, it means that you'll be able to keep nitrogen levels under control with the simple
addition of fertilizer.

Josh

All good tips, I appreciate it ... really the idea I guess is to create a CHEAP alternative to using straight potting soil ... while keeping the mix aireated properly.

Im not sure locating Pine or fir bark, since its such a specific product .. is going to be cheap. I gotta think that with something as natural as gardening (even in containers) theres gotta be a way to use readily available substances which are free or very close to it. It seems like there has to be a better alternative to buying bagged soil at $20 a pop!

I buy bagged "Orchid Bark" (Fir) in fine grade.
Any chance that your local garden center carries a similar product?

Josh

I mulched mine and they did horrible dont do it as for your post about not being able to make compost because you live in a apartment, have you tried vermicomposting?

I would follow Josh's advice and try and find the right bark. :)

Try landscaping companies.
I will try and get back later with a link that may help.
Or,
Josh,
do you have supplies by region handy?
JoJo

My local big box store has fine pine bark. It is about 3.00 a bag. Get the phone book out and call nursery's they should have it as well
The same store will have perlite and peat moss.
Mix equal parts I use 5 gallon buckets.
Add 2 cups of slow release organic fert
use fish emulsion every two weeks half strength.
Good to go
Sam

OZ, find out where local farmers buy their fertilizer, or see if there is a greenhouse supply company near you.

If you can locate those businesses, you can buy agricultural perlite in the jumbo size bags for a very reasonable price.

I buy composted bark fines by the yard, but if you are in an apartment, you probably don't have room to store that much bark.

I prefer not to use peat because it retains too much water, so I don't use commercial potting mixes. I mix fir bark, perlite, and coarse sand for my potting mix. My peppers seem happy with it.

If you go to a gravel yard, you can probably talk them into selling you a gunny sack full of sand for cheap. I bought a 10 yard dump truck full--probably not going to work in an apartment.

Maybe a landscape bark yard would sell you a bag full of bark. They normally sell it by the yard, but always seem to be run by nice folks.

O.K.
I found the link.
This is a thread on different places people are finding bark and grit.

I hope it is of some help.

JoJo

Here is a link that might be useful: Supplies by State/Region

Thanks, JoJo!
That is very helpful.

Josh

Right on! This is exactly what I was looking for. I knew there had to be another way other than bagged potting soil.

Buying buy the yard is a possiblity. Although Ild probably be buying a single yard each of bark, perilite, and another wether it be sand/peat, etc, etc.

I dont mind adding some potting soil but at least wanted to cut it and the above tips are great. Im thinking maybe bark, perilite, and potting soil at 1/3 part each might be the way to go!