Tom Kehoe wrote:

John,

Down here in the sub-tropical zone of Florida, one common formula for bonsai
soil is one part sharp sand, one part turface, and one part "organic" --
generally a fine pine chip that is sieved from a product called "soil
conditioner." The product is nothing more than well-decayed pine mulch. I
sieve mine by hand using standard bonsai soil sieves.

Tom Kehoe



What I've started to do this year was inspired by Anita. I have a compost pile
where my grass clippings, kitchen scraps, dead leaves, misc. pieces of rotten
wood, etc. go. The sides of the pile (3 bins) I made out of discarded pallets.
She uses her compost as the organic component in her soil. I was skeptical at
first, thinking that it would turn to mud, but found that compost actually has good
drainage--it's fluffy. She doesn't sift hers, but I generally sift mine and find
it's a good, cheap way to get organic material.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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