Happy!

What? You have got to be kidding me..You are paying all that?

I can get you the turface if Dodge Grain in Salem, Ma has any more, and the crushed granite a heck of a lot cheaper and even the gypsum

For just the gas, even not the gas, I would be willing to pick this up and drive it to you..

If you need immidate access to any, I have some extra on hand, if the supplies should run out before fall..

Bonsai west is expensive..Been there. They use it themsleves in their mixes.. I just picked up the last bag of granite, which they are getting more of at Dodge grain in Salem,Ma.

Let me know, and we can work something out...:-)

I promised to pay it forward to many here..

Salem, New Hampshire....By the way, the turface is only 13 bucks at Dodge Grain...

What about orchid mix. Do they grow orchids where you live. Oyster mix, or brick pebbles, go to brick and stone yards, feed store carry stuff like you are talking about and what about farm supply store, or bird suppies, aquarium supplies, pond supplies, just suggestions, or ideas. Those would be the places I would search for here. Decomposed granite is great. Norma

I could use some of that cherry grit, too - could you also send it FOB?

I recently got some #5/#6 poultry grit, but I'd also like to find some of their other products (turkey grit!).

As to other suggestions, a few come to mind:

1) roofing or paving companies - I've found a number of general-use rock products thee

2) larger nurseries usually carry some sort of decomposed granite - perhaps if you sifted it down to the size you want you'd find it suitable.

I don't understand this place...

You are all telling her to do exactly what I have already done, and came up empty, instead of being happy she has someone local that will help her..

meyermike, curious where are you getting your aged pine fines from? and for how much. Yeah, happy, if I had someone local to tell me exactly where to find everything and help deliver it, I would totally take them up on their kind offer!

Wow. This place is amazing. LOL.

Thank you for the incredibly generous offer, Mike. I will send you an email as soon as I figure out how that works on GW. ;-)

And yes, can you believe how desperate I was to get my hands on some Turface?! I bought a small box a few weeks ago because I had a whole bunch of plants drowning in peat. I spent a layover in an airport on my phone calling feed stores and nurseries in the Boston area trying to figure out how to get the stuff for the gritty mix. LOL. My husband thought I was completely nuts. ("Why can't you use the bagged stuff like a normal person?!") Compared to shipping the darned stuff, $24 for a bag seems pretty reasonable since I have free use of a car this weekend and was going to make a morning of it, visiting a few different nurseries and stuff in that part of the woods. :-)

But I will absolutely check out the place in Salem, NH in the future. 13 bucks.... We go up there from time to time on weekend trips, so it wouldn't be too far out of the way.

Norma, thanks for the tips! I've been thinking about also using orchid bark, but with the other ingredients being so exhausting to track down, I decided to go the super-easy route.

I can't believe this stuff is so hard to find. Doesn't Turface want to make money selling the stuff?! Maybe there aren't enough gardening aficionados even in eastern Mass.?

Mike: I can't seem to send you an email through GW. Can you send me an email through the link on my GW profile page? Would that be the easiest way to get in touch?
:-)

You got E-mail Happy,

Mike

Hi Mike, just wanted to thank you very much for putting this information about Dodge Grain here. I happened to read it just yesterday and today I had a meeting in North Andover.

I live in the Boston area, so generally it would have been a while before I got to NH, but Salem NH is very close to where my meeting was.

I got a bag of the Gran-I-Grit for 13.00. They didn't have Turface, but they had a bag of Profield Calcined Clay which they said was the same

Deburn, you are welcome..

FYI:
That clay, turface, they are trying to sell you is not the same..It is much finer and will keep your mixes wet way too long..Don't waste your money..
I would wait until spring, since that is when I get mine..They get pallet loads just to sell out by the summer.

Don't you just love the granite grit? Are you sure you got the "Growers" size?

Take care...

Mike

Mike, yes, I did get the growers size.

So are you saying wait till spring because any repotting should wait till spring? Because that's what I've been wondering ie whether it's ok to repot now. I still need to get the uncomposted pine or fir bark.

deburn

I think Mike means Turface is easier to buy in spring than it would be to buy at this time of the year ( In the same sense as trying to buy X mass decor in July, it's best to buy when the season is right for best availability)

Turface makes there fair share in the golf course industry baseball fields, other athletic fields like track and field, any good landscaper does enjoy a bag on hand through out there spring summer working season.
As good as Turface is guess what ? There is a famous sporting area that challenges them for proper/good drainage to this day. (Trivia answer at the end of this post.)

Next time your at Bonsai West tell them New England Bonsai in Bellingham has/had aged pine fines at 5 $ for a 2 Cu Ft bag. They both have the same prices on turface and pumice in black, red and white per pound.
Trivia answer:
C'mon guys you can't be from Mass and not know this right ?
* **
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
Right Field Fenway Park

Mrlike:

You never gave me a chance to sleep on it!.lol.Good one.

You have been to Bonsai West? I go there quite often, as much as last week..I love that store and the people there..Are you saying they carry these three colored pumice bags? If so, I am there this weekend..

Will you be at teh C&S club meeting in two weeks in Bolton mass?

Deburn: They were all out of the granite chips last time I was there..I am happy you got some..The MVP Turface, will be in come spring..I also think they will special order for you if you ask...Tell them I might need some too. If you do, I will call when you do and we can get some for the both of us..

Mike..

You have been to Bonsai West?
Yes I make the trip three or four times a year it is also a very pleasant fall foliage visit. I think you may of under rated the staff a little.
If West doesn't have a color of pumice then usually NE does or one of these two places is storing (hiding) a low on hand color. Each color is sold separately at either shop in smaller bags.

Will you be at teh C&S club meeting in two weeks in Bolton mass?
LOL TEH it's nice to not have to be so formal and do a spell check isn't it ? Or did you wake a bit to early too ?
If still needed I have some left over pine fines that should fit in the trunk easily enough. If you want or need them I can get some composted granite chips from a mountain sized pile at a very close cement company for nothing out of pocket. I'll check at John Deer (Ours is a country mile or two drive away ) to see if they have any Turface left.

To answer your other question, ("Will I be at the Bolton CC&S event?") Also to expose you as the sleepwalker that you are.

Sadly......
no.... I wont be there,
**
**
**
**
**
* *
* *
**
**
**

but I will be in Boylston which is where Tower Hill is and in attendance of the CC&S event in question.

Mrlike, that is it!!!! I meant Boylston, not Bolton!!I love that place and the fine people I met..I learned so much there in just two days last month..The kindest bunch of people I met..

Maybe I will see you there! I would love that..

Keep in touch..E-mail me..

Mike

Afetr the excitement of seeing that you are going to be at the C&S show, then to wake up from this sleep walk, and now that my customers are gone, I was able to gather my thoughts better together, and read the rest of your post you wrote and enjoy...lol

Yes, I have been awake since 3am to work, then at my other job for 730 am, then give massages at night, then workout..So yes, I may be a bit sleepy everytime I come here lately...

Your offer is very generous and I appreciate you...

You can always e-mail me anytime so we can chat about this, and I would be willing to help you out too..I get the feeling we will be doing some trading in the future..If you were there last monthn you should of seen the unique plants just handed to me...One with pests though..Had to throw that one out..:-(

A sleepwalker? Mayb that eplains all mi speling erors...:-)

Mike..

Mike, that's quite a schedule you have.

Much as I'd like to get the "right" ingredient, it might be a while before I get back to Dodge Grain, but I'll let you know if I do.

Where did you get the bark from?
deburn

More of a NH source but I bought the equivalent of Turface at Agway in Hooksett. It was 19.99 for a 50# bag (get the coarse). Also bought two small bags of granite grit for 6.99 each. I bought 1 cubic foot of fine fir bar online along with some other ingredients for other of al's soil mixes from Kelleys corner orchid supplies which happens to be located in Keene, NH.
http://www.kkorchid.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11&zenid=o4lqhbj8imlqqnd37jnfq7c870

Crushed clam shells, chicken grit any size, what you are using this for is fast drainage. Kitty litter non clumping, horse stall stuff. Try a feed and animal supply store. Those supplies sound expensive to me. I pay 8-9 bucks for 60 lbs of pumice. Orchid mix as long as it drain rapidly and does hold moisture too long. Gravel that you can find in a stream or coarse construction sand. You are so refreshing you are using your head and are very creative. Your soil may also be good to use as a base, as long as you can find a way to get good drainage and don't have any home grown insects in it. I can't use native soils here. Decomposed granite is highly recommented, Sand Stone. planting mix as a base is good as well. I do qustion the use of pine anything, because that is where turpentine comes from. What about Oak Leaves are they available free, or red wood small chucks that is used for orchids. You need to have the Ph at 6.5 about. You can add vinegar, unless you have an acid soil already or you can use soil that is used for Azalia, Camillia, African Violets. You are going in the right direction. I do hesitate to post this here. Norma

Even better deal for the granite grit is at tractor supply. 9.99 for a 25# bag.

Search by zipcode for granite grit