Turface vs. Amorphous diatomaceous earth.

jfecme

Ever since I got started in this hobby I have used tuface withpine bark and granite gravel for my soils. Generally I mix it up in 1:1:1 mixture add alittle this or that when potting up a tree to get the mix right for the type of tree.

Turface has always been relatively expensive, and seems to be getting moreso..
I have seen a recommendation for using amorphous diatomaceous earth which can be purchased for NAPA parts stores in 25 lb. bags. 50 lbs costs about 55% of the turface price.

Now, my question is what proportion should my standard mix be? Should I stick with 1:1:1, adjusting it as needed for deciduous, evergreens, etc? Or should the standard mix have a different ratio? And, if it should what would you recommend?

I ask this question because I expect that diatomaceous earth and turface have different absorbtion and retention rates.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

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Over 25 years experience - good and bad, and still learning!

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jjeter

Do a test. Put the same amount of each in two clear cups. Fill to the top of the material with water. Cover and let it sit for a day. Compare the water levels. Any difference will tell you how to change your mix. If the truface absorbs more water (lower level), use more earth. If absorbs less (higher water level), use less earth. I don't know if the earth product is fired at the same level as a turface. You might want to let the earth sit in water for a month and see if it starts to decompose.

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Jeff

Student of Bonsai

Dav4

I bought a bag of absorbent "diatomaceous earth" this past spring... it ended up being way too fine for a soil component. I've been using turface for years and pay slightly less then $15 for a 50# bag. How much does it cost you?


Dave

rjj

You might get a few friends together and buy it in larger quantities to split the cost up a little if you don't need a lot of it. I use a lot of it myself and and it costs under $11.00 a bag when I get 10 bags at once. I've got it through a local feed store a number of times.

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Randy Jones Norman Ok USDA Zone 7

jfecme

In my area it's costing about $18 a bag. Onlyone local supplier and he has to order it for me.

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Over 25 years experience - good and bad, and still learning!

rjj

You must live in the boonies or your local supplier is doing quite well when it comes to special order.

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Randy Jones Norman Ok USDA Zone 7

treebeard55

I like Turface myself, or another product, different brand name, that's available around here and is essentially the same thing.

A good friend of mine goes a less expensive route: he uses floor-dry, as it's called here: calcined clay granules that come in 50-lb bags and are used to soak up spilled oil, water, what-have-you.

It looks very much like Turface. The only significant difference between floor-dry and Turface is that Turface is fired at a higher temperature, so it lasts longer before its structure starts to break down. But from what my friend has told me, floor-dry holds up just fine for 2-3 years, and by then he's usually ready to re-pot anyway.

Here in northern IN floor-dry is available at any auto-supply store. One important caution: be sure that what you get has no additives. Some additives can poison your trees in short order.

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Treebeard 55

"To do bunjin is easy. However, to do a bunjin masterpiece is difficult." -- Susumu Nakamura, at MBS '07

Kitsune

Oildry or OilDri is also another alternative. Similar properties to turface, and cheap... available at walmarts, autozone etc.... I pay 3.19 for a 25lb bag.

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cray13

After an extensive search I found a supplier for Turface. I think it is actually called Pro-Field but I was able to get it for $10 per 50lb bag. They supply local municipal Parks and Rec departments with Turface for their ball fields. They also supply turf management companies that handle golf course maintenance. I was informed I could get it for $8 per bag if I ordered an Entire pallet. I think this
was about 40 bags... this would be a great way for a club to order turface.

I've used Oil-Dry and it does break down pretty fast. I have a tree right now that was potted 2 seasons ago and I'll definitely have to pot again this spring.