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"don't see why starting with sterile soil would be good for most nusery plants and bad for bonsai. With exposure to the environment, I'm sure the sterile soil will not stay sterile for long, but it's a good place to start, providing that appropriate fertilization is given to the plant."

It's not a question of "bad for bonsai." It more about healthy nursery plants. Sterile soil helps keep down the diseases that can devastate nursery plants quickly. The point the guy was making was that it's good that turface STARTS OUT sterile and isn't a reservoir of disease, as some potting soil can be. A soil bourne pathogen can kill off big investments at large nurseries.

31-Aug-2005	#9
rockm bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Oct-2003 Location: Fairfax, Va Country: USA USDA Zone: 7 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 4,561	"don't see why starting with sterile soil would be good for most nusery plants and bad for bonsai. With exposure to the environment, I'm sure the sterile soil will not stay sterile for long, but it's a good place to start, providing that appropriate fertilization is given to the plant." It's not a question of "bad for bonsai." It more about healthy nursery plants. Sterile soil helps keep down the diseases that can devastate nursery plants quickly. The point the guy was making was that it's good that turface STARTS OUT sterile and isn't a reservoir of disease, as some potting soil can be. A soil bourne pathogen can kill off big investments at large nurseries.