hi i am interested in your Japanese Red Maple ,River Birch Seedlings. i don't see anything on your trade list that i have but i do have lots of extras left over from planting. thanks erica i'll try to update my list it hasn't been updated for awhile.

Please be careful not to turn my words around. I said, "I don't think you understand nutrition and soil science well enough yet to make the judgements you're making", which is quite different than insinuating you don't know what you're doing. Just because event B follows event A, is not necessarily evidence that A is the cause of B. Evidence, because so many have started and transplanted seedlings into the gritty mix and the 5:1:1 mix, strongly supports the idea that you're doing something wrong or inconsistent with a favorable outcome using a well-aerated soil, and I can say the same thing for Buzzsaw. I would be telling you the same thing, whether you were using MG soil, your own mixture, or any other soil. I have no idea how you made the soil, but if it contains ingredients other than the ones listed, it's not one of the soils I recommended. You mentioned coffee grounds in the soil. Here is something I left only a few days ago on the soil/composting forum: Forum discussions frequently center on the question of adding dilute coffee/tea or grounds to plants as a 'tonic', but Arabica (coffee) and Camellia (tea) are known for their toxic alkaloid (caffeine) content and their allelopathic affect on plants as well as autotoxic (poison to their own seedlings) effects on future generations. Caffeine interferes with root development by impairing protein metabolism. This affects activity of an important bio-compound (PPO) and lignification (the process of becoming woody), crucial steps for root formation. We also know that the tannins in both coffee and tea are known allelopaths (growth inhibitors). There are ongoing experiments to develop herbicides using extracts from both coffee and tea that cause me to want to say they might serve better as a nonselective herbicide than as a tonic. I would not use either (stale coffee or tea) by applying directly to my plants - especially containerized plants; nor would I add tea bags/coffee grounds to my container soils. It's entirely possible you've compromised your plants ability to grow to their potential via your inclusion of the coffee grounds or one of the other extras you're using. Al Here is a link that might be useful: The thread I quoted from

Were the leaves like that before you sprayed for bugs? It looks like it might be salt damage. Do you let the water run out the bottom when you water? That pot looks way too big for your tree. It should probably be in a 10 inch pot. A too big pot can lead to root rot. Repot the tree into 5-1-1 mix. Dunk the roots in and out of water to remove the old soil. You may have to use a garden hoes to force the old soil off. My version of Al Tapla's 5-1-1 Mix · 5 parts pine bark mulch (remove ½” pieces through 1/2 inch screen) (Some people use Repti Bark instead of mulch. This does not require screening but may require more frequent watering.) · 1 part sphagnum peat · 1 part perlite (coarse, if you can get it) · 1 Tb/gal 5-1-1 mix garden lime (measure the 5-1-1 mix) · Controlled release fertilizer (optional) · Moisten well and wait at least 2 days before using

While it is certainly suggested to bare root or clean out as much old soil as possible when repotting into one of the fast draining mixes, I can only say that by my own experience, I have not found it to be critical to plant development OR more encouraging to root rots if you do not. And my experience is pretty extensive. I have been growing in containers for more than 25 years. Mostly trees, dwarf conifers and other woody plants. Several of my trees have been around for that entire time. And I also grow an extensive collection of houseplants, as well as seasonal crops and mixed annual and perennial plantings. And I will say again............by NOT bare rooting I have never lost a plant to root rot nor do my plants appear to be suffering in any way. They flourish and grow and produce well and when repotting, always have a very healthy and well-developed root system. The same considerations for bare rooting when working with container plants exists when planting in the ground. There will always a be a discrepancy between the texture and structure of the soil a plant was grown in, whether it be container grown or B&B, and the soil texture and structure of where it is to be planted And similar cases have been made that these should also be bare rooted before planting. You will find convincing arguments both for and against but very few accept and adopt the practice wholeheartedly. There are simply too many risks involved for the average gardener. Typically, just properly loosening the rootball and avoiding amending the backfill (using only indigenous soil) is enough of an adjustment to allow for proper root development and the adequate percolation of water through the soil profile(s). And making sure the rootball is well hydrated before planting. In addition to my many years of successful container growing without bare rooting, one of the factors that has convinced me this practice is not absolutely necessary is the fact that most quality wholesale growers of containerized plants - the trees and shrubs that I favor to collect - have long realized the benefits of growing in bark based mixes, for much the same reasons we hobby gardeners do. The textural quality resists collapse or compaction, they are fast draining and they allow for healthy root development. In short, the nursery container mixes are very similar in content and structure as to the 5-1-1 mix, negating any overwhelming need to remove a hugely disparate soil mix by bare rooting. I won't tell anyone not to bare root - that is their choice, as is the soil mix they use or their method of fertilization. All I can I do is relate my experience based on my many years of gardening, both in containers and in the ground. Understanding the plant and its needs and understanding the soils you are working with are paramount. If you have these factors well under your belt, then you can make whatever adjustments you might deem necessary.