Hmm, don't know what happened, but this was to be a reply, not a new post

[I'd go with the 5-1-1 or deritative[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/id-go-with-the-5-1-1-or-derivative-dsvw-vd~5316068)

Once you purchase all the screens, small bags of 'soil conditioner', and assorted other difficult to find items (along with driving to very specific garden centres which may not be nearby), if your objective is to save money, you probably wont. This is not to say the 5-1-1 mix is bad, it is quite good. You'll pay for it, especially when buying several small bags of 'soil conditioner' or the small bag of peat instead of the large bale. Waiting until the end of the season when everything goes on sale for 75% off is a great way to save money.

More to the point: what are you trying to grow? If it's cacti or water lilies 5-1-1 is a terrible choice.

The only factor is being able to find the stuff locally, if you can't, you could do a once a year road trip and stock up.

Actually you don't need to screen the 5-1-1...you can buy 3 CF bags of soil conditioner for about $6, and can get them on sale at the end of the year as well.

Where are you located, Ford?

Sounds like I'm better off just buying the premixed stuff. Thanks for your replies.

As mblan13 said if you can buy 3 cubic feet of "soil conditioner" for $6, that's cheaper than the pre-mixed stuff. But you need to do the mixing and find a place that will sell it.

For example, I can buy a 1cubic yard of pine bark fines for $180 from several of the wholesale landscape places.

Funkyhat, I think you're vastly overstating the cost and labor of making 5-1-1. You can use whatever you want, but I feel others that come here looking for something better should note that it is much easier and cheaper than Funkyhat makes it out to be.

$180 a cubic yard???

1 cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. that is 9 bags at 3 CF per bags. $6 a bag = $54 per cubic yard...am I missing something?

Also, 5-1-1 is also good for more than 1 year. I dump last years pots and pull the large pieces of plant matter and mix with equal amounts of fresh 5-1-1. I then add some CRF to get my 3-1-1 mix for my more water loving Salvias.

I bought 3 - 3CF bags 2 years ago on sale for $5 a bag and one bag that was ripped open for half price. Total cost $12.50 and 5 minutes time scooping the spilled bag into a small garbage can. I still have 1 1/4 bags left. My total cost for last years requirement of potting mix for fourteen 10-14 inch pots was less than $15, and was far superior to any bagged potting mix, and took less than 1/2 hour to make.

Y'all can do what you you want, but I'll spend the $10 and spend 15 minutes time for a far superior product and spend the rest on plants!

Yes, geography. Where I live pine bark fines are expensive, if you can find them at all.

Some people on this forum 8 years ago (my city) said a specific grocery store bought them in, and they were more expensive then than you paid. Everyone else posted they had called practically every other garden centre (independent, big box, or otherwise) and they were not brought in for sale.

As I said to the OP, if they can find pine bark fines at the price you paid, it is cheaper than pre-bagged mixes. Like 4x cheaper.