i wasnt aware you needed bark FINES ...

you want chucky bark bits ...

lets see if i am right ...

i would mix something at the link.. with a regular peat mix .... at least 50/50 ...

and maybe even 75% bark.. to 25% peat mix ...

big open air pockets.. not fines ...

or... i dont understand what fines are...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful:

Ha! Once I saw the size of the roots on my new arrivals, this question is moot. I don't have enough large pots to provide even temporary accommodations for them!

Instead of trying to stuff those roots into too-small pots, I'm just going to plop them into the garden bed I prepped recently. I will be moving them again this weekend or next week once I have a more settled idea of where I want them.

But back to my original question...I currently use a pine bark mulch that all my hostas seem happy with. The bark bits are smaller than what your link shows, Ken, but not by too much. However, I have loads of the Claybreaker product thanks to a neighbor who over bought. It may be too fine for a large % of the mix, but if the added gypsum isn't a problem I think it could be a fine addition...?

Anyhoo, I'm off to tuck those new arrivals in and snap a few pics. Good times!

Jadie, I'm going to ask you the same question I was asked when I was contemplating using gypsum in my flower beds to lighten the clay.

"What makes you think the stuff they put in sheetrock will help your flower beds?" (in this case, your hosta pots)

bk

Haha...sounds like the good ole Texas wisdom I grew up with!

Well, there are limited conditions in which it can help (sodic soils), but that's not what I'm after, of course. I don't expect any positive impact from the gypsum, but I do want to find out if it would hurt. At any rate, I think I can l find a better use for the extra bags instead of experimenting on the hosta, eh? If it ain't broke...

BINGO, BK!
Jamie... wisdom in your last four words! You certainly know what you're doing IMO from your posts and pics, why mess with success?

:-)
Jo

Gypsum, aka, 'calcium sulfate', is a mineral. It will add calcium (gypsum is the calcium component in tofu) and sulphur. As a soil amendment, gypsum is used to increase fertility and to raise the ph of acidic soil...supposedly faster acting than adding limestone.

I would think that you could make your own mix using 50-75% soil conditioner and the balance with peat moss and not worry about needing to add lime. Anyway, I wouldn't hesitate to try it...

As a side note, other 'building materials' that are used as soil media are vermiculite and rock wool. I buy big bales of vermiculite from the insulation section at Menard's to use in my raised beds. Much less expensive than those small bags of the finely ground stuff in the garden center.

For that matter, I dump sheetrock dust on the lawn (acid soil here) and small chunks go in the compost pile or directly into the soil if I have any new gardening projects in process.

Thanks Ci...great info on the vermiculite, too!

It's a good thing I didn't use it, then. We already have alkaline soils. We need acidity.

bk

Ci_lantro, what is "rock wool" please?

Josephines, it's a kind of building insulation. Usually, it's loose fill that is blown into attics. Also, used in hydroponics as a growing media. Doesn't have any use as a soil amendment AFAIK.

I like to augment my compost with vermiculite ... and if it's gonna go in a pot ... toss in a small handful of floor dry (the stuff ya use in the garage for oil spills)

It's cheap (wear a mask and gloves, it's dusty) and my hostas have not complained by croaking on me.

It absorbs water, and then the soil extracts the moisture as the day goes on.

Can also use chicken grit, but it gets pricey in a hurry.

ÃÂ_ÃÂ --~

dave