Oh look, another soil thread...

[coh]

So, you're shipping 2 cu ft for $61 if I'm reading that right (ignoring the cost of the bark).

You could ship a "large" flat rate box (12" x 12" x 6", about 1/2 cu ft) for about $16 if I'm reading the website correctly. So that's roughly the same cost, but you're right - you couldn't send the whole bag at once. Maybe the postal service has larger flat rate boxes available, I didn't check for that.

Chris

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I really appreciate it Jeremy, much needed.

I mixed in a bit of Happy Frog into the soil, and shoot, this homemade stuff just might pass for actual bonsai soil

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Bought some screens on Saturday and they arrived today. Joshua Roth, high quality, I'm satisfied. The screens are 1/16", 1/8", and 1/4". I've got two bags of Turface All Sport and will begin sifting tomorrow using the large sized screen, 1/4", and see what kind of results I get.

 

[coh]

I think you'll find the 1/4" mesh to be pretty useless for turface.

Chris

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I think you'll find the 1/4" mesh to be pretty useless for turface.

Chris

Well darn. 1/8" it is I suppose. I haven't really looked over the screens to see just how small the holes are, but yeah 1/4" is probably much too big

 

[SMJ76]

Try to find a product called Composted Garden Mulch. This stuff is Pine Bark.

I'm going to guess this is NOT what you're talking about???.... but just in case I'm wrong, I wanted to run this by you and others regarding composted pine bark mulch. It does not say its pine bark, but does say "compost mulch".... it's much to general a title for me to say either way.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100466...ads-_-pla-_-100466735&ci_gpa=pla#.UhLkP7wXTu6

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Ryan,
Quick question, but I've seen you mention worm castings a few times; where do you get this from? My sister had an indoor vermi-composter for a while and I wish I had a good source for them ever since. She had a spigot that she had to drain liquid from periodically and when she removed the compost from the bottom rack it was very moist, but after some time in the sun it would harden and crack into tough little pieces. I would like to use those as my organic component.

Thanks,
David

 

[Poink88]

Ryan,
Quick question, but I've seen you mention worm castings a few times; where do you get this from? My sister had an indoor vermi-composter for a while and I wish I had a good source for them ever since. She had a spigot that she had to drain liquid from periodically and when she removed the compost from the bottom rack it was very moist, but after some time in the sun it would harden and crack into tough little pieces. I would like to use those as my organic component.

Thanks,
David

David,

I've been meaning to try this due to your post earlier.
http://www.amazon.com/Wiggle-Worm-E...TF8&colid=2WH8THK6RB5OK&coliid=I2GT7N8WQ4HCSD

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Ryan,
Quick question, but I've seen you mention worm castings a few times; where do you get this from? My sister had an indoor vermi-composter for a while and I wish I had a good source for them ever since. She had a spigot that she had to drain liquid from periodically and when she removed the compost from the bottom rack it was very moist, but after some time in the sun it would harden and crack into tough little pieces. I would like to use those as my organic component.

Thanks,
David

Merrifield, right down the road from you

 

[Vance Wood]

I'm going to guess this is NOT what you're talking about???.... but just in case I'm wrong, I wanted to run this by you and others regarding composted pine bark mulch. It does not say its pine bark, but does say "compost mulch".... it's much to general a title for me to say either way.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100466...ads-_-pla-_-100466735&ci_gpa=pla#.UhLkP7wXTu6

You're right this is not the stuff.

 

[markyscott]

I think you'll find the 1/4" mesh to be pretty useless for turface.

Chris

Actually, it's perfect. Just discard all the turface that goes through the 1/4" holes and keep what doesn't. You'll be left with the very best that turface a has to offer.

Scott

 

[Vance Wood]

Actually, it's perfect. Just discard all the turface that goes through the 1/4" holes and keep what doesn't. You'll be left with the very best that turface a has to offer.

Scott

Could be a whole 2 cups.

 

[coh]

Could be a whole 2 cups.

This...I think you'd probably need about 3 or 4 50 pound bags to get enough 1/4" turface for one tree. But I will have to go take a look at my turface to make sure I'm not remembering it wrong.

 

[Poink88]

I like Turface. It is not the best but serves as a really good (and cheap) base for my soil mix.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Shoot, I'm finding even the 1/8" screen to be just about useless as well. The 1/16" seems to work well though...

 

[berobinson82]

Shoot, I'm finding even the 1/8" screen to be just about useless as well. The 1/16" seems to work well though...

I made a small box with window screen to sift turface. The wasted material was more than what I was keeping otherwise.

 

[coh]

I sift turface with plastic mesh/screen from JoAnns - the stuff used for needlepoint work. The mesh size is a little less than 1/8". I find that I typically lose about 25-35% when I use this screen...and the resulting particles are still smaller than I would really like. That's the biggest problem I have with turface, I wish the particle sizes were a little larger.


Chris

 

[markyscott]

Could be a whole 2 cups.

Exactly. Perhaps a bit less.

Scott

 

[Vance Wood]

I like Turface. It is not the best but serves as a really good (and cheap) base for my soil mix.

On this you are correct. It is the most available and cheapest element out there.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I've been looking at akadama, but the stuff is expensive, and it's too confusing for me (hard vs. soft, etc)