If you search 511 here you will find tons of threads on where to source the materials....

Sources for bark and perlite:

http://myagway.com/catalog/product/117217/agway-pine-bark-mulch-3-cuft

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KDUBPO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Peat moss you can get at :owes or Home dept.

You do not need to use the ingredients listed in 5-1-1. All you need to do is duplicate the aeration properties as well as the wettable properties of the 5-1-1 mix. My best mix was 50% soil from my back yard and 50% pure how made compost from my compost bin. My yard is very steep and I had to bring trees down 40 feet from my roof top. Weight had to go. I use 100% compost from my compost bin. It works well but not quite the original formula.

6b Steve

We had some pine and boxelder cut down a couple of weeks and the tree crew put it through a shredder for us. Wondering if I could use this after it fermented (for how long? ) Also the cable guys cleaned the trees in our neighborhood and they left us a big pile of it. Mixed with a kind of trees and some pines too. This was last year and I'm using it for garden paths right now. But could I use this for the citrus trees?

Susanne, pine bark or fir bark id what you strive for..Do you know where to get 'bark mulch'?

Can you show us pics of what you might use, up close?

Mike

will take picture

I would stick with a proven material. If you can get pine bark fines in a bag, I would suggest that. They may not be labeled as such.

I have some year old wood chips, so I know they are great for the garden, but I would hesitate to use in pots.

I have been using a 1:1 mix with pbf for several years, and have not had issues with nitrogen depletion, just based on the growth of my plants (not citrus).