Quoting Craig Cowing :

....I don't feel I can expose my trees to that level of dryness.

HA! You're talking to a native NYer now living in TX! There's dry and hot
then there's DRY and HOT. I experience NY August weather from May to October.
It can be humid but we miss most of the rain that Houston gets. I think one
additional issue is the strength of the sun. It definitely eliminates any
added benefits I may get from the humidity. Trees dry out pretty quick and
must be under shade cloth.

Sometimes I have to skip a day of watering because I'm away, and
with
inorganic soil that would not be possible.

Must be nice! I have an auto system and an ace 9 year old. Moisture levels
can be controlled with particle sizes and proportions; you could also vary the
ingredient- i.e. pumice. You may want to play around with a few seedlings just
for edification.

I guess moisture retention is an issue if it dries out- kind of like peat but
not as difficult? I also use organic fertilizers through summer that add to
the organic load.

BTW: Congrads. Glad to hear the Lord has blessed you.

Jim Stone

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