Hi All:

Anyone using cocoa shell mulch in making bonsai soil? It is a pretty
homogeneous material. The pieces are generally less than .5 inch in diameter and
maybe 1/32 in thick. The material is somewhat stiff but nothing like bark,
probably because it's so much thinner. On top of that, it smells really nice.

Ed Spaans
Grand Rapids, MI.

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Ed Spaans wrote:
Hi All:

Anyone using cocoa shell mulch in making bonsai soil? It is a pretty
homogeneous material. The pieces are generally less than .5 inch in diameter and
maybe 1/32 in thick. The material is somewhat stiff but nothing like bark,
probably because it's so much thinner. On top of that, it smells really nice.

And it turns into a greasy mush. Even as a mulch it seems
to grow mold and other fungus better than anything I know.

But maybe that's just down here in the hot and humid southeast.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I have been using it for over a year now. It seems to work very well,
grows mold very quickly here in Iowa. It is easier for me to find as well.

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On Jun 14, 2005, at 7:21 PM, Jim Lewis wrote:

Ed Spaans wrote:
Hi All:
Anyone using cocoa shell mulch in making bonsai soil? It is a pretty
homogeneous material. The pieces are generally less than .5 inch in
diameter and maybe 1/32 in thick. The material is somewhat stiff but
nothing like bark, probably because it's so much thinner. On top of
that, it smells really nice.

And it turns into a greasy mush. Even as a mulch it seems to grow
mold and other fungus better than anything I know.

But maybe that's just down here in the hot and humid southeast.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature encourages
no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson


Even in Maine it turned to mush after one growing season. Use something
else.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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Since cocoa shell mulch is not the best, and it seems to be much easier to
find, does anyone know of a good source for smaller size pine bark nuggets?

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In a message dated 6/14/2005 9:15:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

Since cocoa shell mulch is not the best, and it seems to be much easier to
find, does anyone know of a good source for smaller size pine bark nuggets?


What we use in Florida is a decomposed pine bark sold as Fafard Soil
Conditioner.
It has a lot of fines but you can sift it and use the dust as part of a muck
for walls on slabs or just spread on the lawn.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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If you can get orchid mix, it works great for bonsai. When I
could get it, I found it to be very homogenous particle size,
just right for our needs. However, I haven't been able to get
anyone local to carry it. They know that the bonsai group is
small and apparently so are the orchid growers.

Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Ward

Since cocoa shell mulch is not the best, and it seems to be much
easier to find, does anyone know of a good source for smaller
size pine bark nuggets?

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Alan:

In my part of the world, more and more florists are selling potted orchids
for the home. Often, they will have orchid bark mixes. It isn't cheap, but,
in the quantities we use, can save a lot of miles chasing after an
alternative.

Regards,

Bart Thomas

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Walker"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 1:42 AM
Subject: [IBC] cocoa shell mulch


If you can get orchid mix, it works great for bonsai. When I
could get it, I found it to be very homogenous particle size,
just right for our needs. However, I haven't been able to get
anyone local to carry it. They know that the bonsai group is
small and apparently so are the orchid growers.

Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Ward

Since cocoa shell mulch is not the best, and it seems to be much
easier to find, does anyone know of a good source for smaller
size pine bark nuggets?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++


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In a message dated 6/14/2005 8:34:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

I have been using it for over a year now. It seems to work very well,
grows mold very quickly here in Iowa. It is easier for me to find as well.


Growing mold is a good thing? Have I missed something?
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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Billy,

I was being somewhat sarcastic. I have tried it, and yes it does grow mold
very well. I seem to be very good at that. And, I have a hard time finding
pine bark nuggets. Sorry for the poor attemt at humor.

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've had the same problem of trying to find composted pine/fir bark mulch. A
garden center in Kansas City has it but would only sell it in cubic yard
lots. I don't have that many trees so this spring I ordered from Dallas Bonsai
Gardens. They had a special of buy 2 bags get one free. That was plenty for
this years repotting and should cover next years too.




I have been trying to find Fir bark but it is hard to find here. I found a
25 lb bag for $30 I is usually sold as Orchid mix and goes for $8 for a small
bag. Pine bark is sold all over
SteveW


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Considering the time and money expended on my bonsai, it
doesn't make sense to cheap out on the soil. Cost doesn't always
mean quality, but quality should be the main concern most of the
time. Hard experience teaches the lesson of "penny wise and pound
foolish."
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Bart Thomas

Alan:
In my part of the world, more and more florists are selling
potted orchids
for the home. Often, they will have orchid bark mixes. It isn't
cheap, but,
in the quantities we use, can save a lot of miles chasing after
an
alternative.
Regards,
Bart Thomas

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Walker"

If you can get orchid mix, it works great for bonsai. When I
could get it, I found it to be very homogenous particle size,
just right for our needs. However, I haven't been able to get
anyone local to carry it. They know that the bonsai group is
small and apparently so are the orchid growers.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Ward
Since cocoa shell mulch is not the best, and it seems to be much
easier to find, does anyone know of a good source for smaller
size pine bark nuggets?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

On Jun 15, 2005, at 9:34 PM, Alan Walker wrote:

Considering the time and money expended on my bonsai, it
doesn't make sense to cheap out on the soil. Cost doesn't always
mean quality, but quality should be the main concern most of the
time. Hard experience teaches the lesson of "penny wise and pound
foolish."
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


Anita and I make our own compost, which costs nothing other than
minimal labor. In return we get wonderful compost which makes for an
excellent addition to our soil. I use a bit of the pine bark as well,
but mostly in the larger trees. As a result, the only soil component
I've bought recently, since I have several bags of the pine bark, is
Turface.

Alan's right. The right soil is critical. Don't cut corners, but it
doesn't have to be expensive either.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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Craig Cowing wrote:
On Jun 15, 2005, at 9:34 PM, Alan Walker wrote:

Considering the time and money expended on my bonsai, it
doesn't make sense to cheap out on the soil. Cost doesn't always
mean quality, but quality should be the main concern most of the
time. Hard experience teaches the lesson of "penny wise and pound
foolish."
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


Anita and I make our own compost, which costs nothing other than minimal
labor. In return we get wonderful compost which makes for an excellent
addition to our soil. I use a bit of the pine bark as well, but mostly
in the larger trees. As a result, the only soil component I've bought
recently, since I have several bags of the pine bark, is Turface.


I use home brewed compost, too, but there is an important
issue with home-made compost. You MUST be certain it
reaches and maintains a high enough temperature during the
composting process that all the major pathogens. To get
these temperatures, you need a pile that is at least 3 feet
in diameter and 2 feet deep. A hot pile reaches 160 degrees
(F) and is best, of course, but if it can cook for a few
months at 120 degrees you will be OK.

To get your piles hot enough, you must turn it frequently.
Down here, that's no big problem. Elsewhere, it can be.

There IS "passive composting" and anaerobic decomposition.
This can get smelly.

Rodale publishes books on composting (see also their
Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening) and there are websites
galore.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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At one point, (before I was forced to move to an apartment and lost
most of my gardening area) we had a compost barrel. We bought it as
such, but it was a fairly simple compost. Metal drum, door in side
(that latches, that's important) that is set on a frame with pivots.
There was a handle at one end of the barrel and someone would go out
there and give it a good turn once in a while. After a couple months,
line a bag up under the door and let the soil drop out.