pgstroud@aol.com
Seedling
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Pine bark would probably be the best since peat moss holds water which is not drainable & holds water in bonsai soil even though I've heard of some who do use it. Personally I wouldn't risk it. When it gets a little dry it is very difficult to rehydrate. Water rolls off it until it is repeatedly watered until it absorbs it. There is also a good organic component to use called Fafard 52 mix. I learned of it on the internet from some people who grow bonsais & use it in their mix. I've been trying it out with inorganic ingredients. (The turface was purchased at the local John Deere store. There are 3 in our area, one for equipment, one for bagged products such as turface & a nursery where I've found some good plants to bonsai.) I have switched recently to half organic, the Faford 52 mix found at nurseries usually, & half an equal mixture of small sharp gravel, aquarium rock (I find it in 25 lb. bags at WalMart in our area) & turface. It seems to be working fine so far. I do maintain some diatomite in case they quit selling turface. This is a basic soil mix. For a free draining mix for plants like bougainvillea & junipers I would cut the Faford 52 by 1/2.
