If you can say where you are maybe there's someone nearby who can give you specifics about location.

30 minutes outside of Austin Tx

I go barkless myself, but there are many here who are barkful - they'll help you out.

What do you use?

Not the 5:1:1 but a gritty mix - I have potted C&S only.

Oh ok

get pine bark mulch and sift it.

What do I use to sift it?

Make a tray with wooden sides and staple hardware cloth to the bottom and add 2 handles so it is easier to shake.

I’m gonna have to have my husband help me make one

hardware cloth is a screen, it comes in different gauges (size of the openings). It is sold by measuring off lengths of it or by the roll.

Jamilalshaw, you can purchase pine bark fines in small quantities at a Bonsai store or on Amazon- but it would be too expensive if you needed a lot of it.

Sans that my issue, it’s way too expensive! For the amount I want it’s just too much because they don’t give you much. I paid $30 one time for a bag of bark and had to add more peat & perlite just to stretch it out. I just bought Orchid bark from Lowe’s and I’m slowly breaking it down lol.

I have thought about doing the very same thing- just can't think of an easy way to turn the orchid bark into something small enough to use. What about just using 60% mix of perlite instead of a 511 mix?

My plants have done so well in the 5-1-1mix that I really don’t wanna switch up! Plus I have everything necessary to make it.

And I’ve been breaking the bark down with my hands and one of my husband’s tools that I don’t know the name of (lol). It’s taking forever but to me it’s worth it.

Any neighbors of yours have a small chipper? I have heard that others use the small yard chipper to grind up bark.

Not that I know of. I’m tempted to though!!!

Gubler Orchid Fine Grade 4-Quart Organic Fruit Flower and Vegetable Soil Potting Mix

Lowes sells it.

Butterfly--do you mix something else with the Farfard? I usually use Evergreen soil conditioner to mix with potting soil and perlite.