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3-Mar-2008
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#11 |
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Duct Tape Ninja
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lol..I grew up in Nawlins....You should have went to Covington and talked to Guy Guidry. He can hook you up with whatever you need.
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Sponsor Message
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Substitutes for crushed lava? |
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Forum Sponsor
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3-Mar-2008
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#12 |
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bonsaiTALK Artisan
Join Date: May-2007
Location: Chattanooga
Country: U.S.
Posts: 111
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www.bonsaimonk.com sells lava. It's about $12 per 20-25 pound bag.
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4-Mar-2008
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#13 | |
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bonsaiTALK Expert
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Quote:
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4-Mar-2008
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#14 |
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bonsaiTALK ArchMaster
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Turface is OK if you get the stuff that is fired at a high temperature. There is a trait that both Turface and Lava stone have in common that Chicken grit does not have; a cation exchange capacity. This is the ability for a soil component to hold on to the ions deposited by fertilizer (the short story). Schultz makes a product that is for all intents and purposes Turface. If you can't find the lava I would consider using this. I do not know about Pumice, I don't have access to this stuff but I doubt it's CEC., glad to be proved wrong if anyone knows for sure.
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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa |
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4-Mar-2008
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#15 |
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bonsaiTALK Master
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These are my ingredients:
!/3 Turface 1/3 ground pine bark 1/3 granite chicken grit. All sifted. I keep it stored in buckets mixed. If planting trees that need looser soil I ad more grit. If I'm planting trees that need more organic I add pine bark. This has worked well for me for many, many years. So, I'm wondering what's the problem with Turface? By the way some people do substitute oil/water drying compounds for Turface, apparently with some success as long as they get the right kind.
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Over 25 years experience - good and bad, and still learning! |
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4-Mar-2008
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#16 | |
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bonsaiTALK ArchMaster
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At least here over the last ten years or so Turface has been offered that is not fired at a high enough temperature for it to keep its structure for more than a couple of years, then it turns to moosh, mush, muck, sludge, and mucus. The product offered here by Schultz holds up better but it is more expensive than traditional Turface.
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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa |
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4-Mar-2008
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#17 |
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bonsaiTALK Master Chief
Join Date: Mar-2006
Location: West Springfield Massachusetts
Country: USA
USDA Zone: zone 5
Posts: 1,198
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Ok I'll throw out the questions, does anyone know how the turface holds onto the fertilizer ions, how does this effect the trees( by Colins/mfgs words - toxic), and can it be remedied
 Any idea if there would be a differance between organic or chemical ferts being used?? I'm going to check the mfg.s site to see if there is a simple explanation.
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If at first you don't succeed -- skydiving is not for you. Always remember that you're unique -- just like everyone else Enjoy this day. Bill |
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4-Mar-2008
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#18 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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If you can't find Turface, try Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil at Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. I have been using it for years with no degradation.
It's more expensive but at least I can find it. |
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4-Mar-2008
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#19 | |
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bonsaiTALK Master
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Yuk! That's not good. What we get down here in the southeast is pretty high fired, hard and seems to hold up. For clarity let me say that the Turface I'm using is MVP. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. Do you suppose there may be a difference in the clay being used to manufacture the stuff in different areas of the country? Like, maybe in Michigan you need a mushy turface for your type of soil whereas we need a different consistency here? Sounds wierd to me, but certainly not outside the realm of possibility. When I repot (1 - 3 years depending on tree), admittedly there is some breakdown, but not as you describe. So I'm at a loss to explain. Unless the mfr. has changed the process somehow.
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Over 25 years experience - good and bad, and still learning! |
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4-Mar-2008
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#20 | |
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Trunk Collector
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Quote:
Turface (or any other component with a high cation exchange capacity) is negatively charged - an anion. It holds cations, like sodium, calcium, etc, which are positively chaged. Each type of cation will be held with a particular affinity (tightness), so one cation can be "exchanged" for another that binds tighter. Hence the term "cation exchange capacity" or CEC. Cations can be flushed from these surfaces with large quantities of nearly cation free water (rain water or distilled water), or by changing the pH to a more acidic level. More acidic means more hydrogen ions, also positively charged. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cation_exchange_capacity As for your second question, organic or inorganic fertilizers both have cations. I suspect there wouldn't be much difference between the two. Brian
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There's a difference between taking your art seriously, and taking yourself too seriously. Last edited by BrianBay9 : 4-Mar-2008 at 05:57 PM. Reason: spelling |
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