diatomaceous earth

[Cuda52774]

Stupid triple post.

[Gnome]

Cuda,

My apologies, it seems I inadvertently deleted your most recent post here. I had this page up in one tab and was doing something else in another. When I came back I noticed the triple post and began to delete two of them. Unfortunately it seems you edited two of them in the meantime and, not having refreshed my screen, I deleted the one you chose to leave.

I recall that you were inquiring about sizing Pine Bark. Look for products other than landscape bark. Try to locate composted Pine bark, it may be called something like soil conditioner.
https://www.garickbulk.com/main.php/products/display/SLNH?tp=1#

Pine Bark also comes in smaller sizes called mini nuggets, still pretty big but you might try that. Of course all components are to be screened especially since you just got your nice new set.

Have you seen this page yet?
https://www.memobug.com/csn/csn.cgi?database=ronmartin%2edb&command=viewone&id=9&rnd=960.5995123805917

Norm

[Gnome]

bewildered_nmsu,

This product, after sifting has an average diameter of 1/8" which strikes me as kind of fine. A question for the resident experts: how fine is your soil, typically?

My screens are 1/8" and 1/4". My general mix is comprised of material that fall through the 1/4" and stays on top of the 1/8" so it is in that range, with the bulk of it being closer to the small end.

I have also experimented with the stuff that stays on top of the 1/4" screen and so far so good with a Boxwood. I am beginning to suspect that my mix is a little on the small side. Unfortunately I am having difficult time locating the slightly larger materials. Turface MVP yields very little, if anything, above the 1/8" - 1/4" range and my local source for Haydite is no longer carrying it.

Also I am using homemade screens and have yet to locate a 3/8" mesh product so I'm kind of in limbo in that regard, either a little too small or a little too big.

Norm

[Cuda52774]

Cuda,

My apologies, it seems I inadvertently deleted your most recent post here. I had this page up in one tab and was doing something else in another. When I came back I noticed the triple post and began to delete two of them. Unfortunately it seems you edited two of them in the meantime and, not having refreshed my screen, I deleted the one you chose to leave.

Norm

No problems Gnome. I've modded a forum myself before, and those things happen.

I was just telling bewildered to keep me updated on his experiments with the Napa stuff and I'm going to try the same experiments.

I'm worried that the stuff may swell when it becomes wet which would be......bad.

As for the size of the DE. Some people still plant their bonsai in potting soil. I figure anything that is aggregate enough to allow good drainage, oxygen diffusion, and doesn't break down should be a good medium. If it happens to hold onto moisture a little better than lava rock, that's a bonus.

Thanks for answering my question about the pine bark! I'll keep looking.

Cuda

[bewildered_nmsu]

This oil absorbent doesn't swell at all, and from what I've seen it retains moisture surprisingly well for an inert substance. However, I have two concerns. 1) The product is two fine for all but shohin. and 2) After a couple seasons of repeated freezing and thawing it will turn into an airless mush.

[Cuda52774]

This oil absorbent doesn't swell at all, and from what I've seen it retains moisture surprisingly well for an inert substance. However, I have two concerns. 1) The product is two fine for all but shohin. and 2) After a couple seasons of repeated freezing and thawing it will turn into an airless mush.

But you're in New Mexico.

So, is that saying that you're not going to use it?? I don't see how it can't work when so many people have been using it for years...

Hmmmmm.......$8 wasted?

Cuda

[bewildered_nmsu]

Average nighttime temperatures around these parts in Dec. and Jan. are 25-30 F range so we get plenty of freezes. As far as this product goes, I'm not convinced that the DE it's made of is the same stuff that the guy from Bonsai4me is using. The stuff he's using is a moler clay (a special kind of DE from what I gather) mined in Denmark, and from everything that he's said on his website, what he's using is harder than this oil absorbent. [url]https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter.htm[/url] Look at what he says in the part of the article "Areas Outside the UK"

PS: It's awesome that this thread came up.

[alisios]

Here is a related topic from last year.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=33413&sid=ab28508273e58e8664ccabebc4edbb6e


The car parts DE is fine for use in bonsai soil (it even says on the 25lb bag), but I wouldn't use it as the only component in the soil.

Also (and this might be a small point to many) that when the DE dries out, it looks white, which I find looks hideous - I prefer a more earthy look to the soil... not a big deal.

I've gone to use Shultz "Aquatic Soil" and it looks a lot better.. YMMV

[bewildered_nmsu]

Thanks for the input alisios. I like the idea of a totally inorganic soil but it just wouldn't fly where I live (7 in. annual rainfall and windy). I think I'm going to try a mix of composted fir bark and this DE. By the way, is that Shultz aquatic soil another DE product?

[Gnome]

bewildered,

By the way, is that Shultz aquatic soil another DE product?

I believe that it is more like Turface which is a fired clay material. You will probably find that Turface is much less expensive, if you can locate it.
https://www.profileproducts.com/sports_fields/category/item/37

Norm

[Cuda52774]

bewildered,

By the way, is that Shultz aquatic soil another DE product?

I believe that it is more like Turface which is a fired clay material. You will probably find that Turface is much less expensive, if you can locate it.
https://www.profileproducts.com/sports_fields/category/item/37

Norm

They have it here at the Monastery for about $20 for a 50 lb. bag. Maybe just slightly more expensive than the DE but maybe worth it if there's any doubt that the DE isn't going to work out.

Cuda

[Gnome]

Cuda,

I should have worded that more carefully. I meant that Turface would be cheaper than the aquatic soil. Typical of pricing when something is marketed as a specialty product.

Norm