I've bought it both at Home Depot and Lowe's, the two biggest "box" stores around here. It's about $10 for a 2 cu ft bag. I picked up two bags this past weekend just to try it out because I liked the fine texture and dark brown color. I also don't have any dogs and none of my close neighbors do either so figured there wasn't too much danger. There is definitely a chocolate smell, I don't know how long it'll last, but it is a little weird to walk out first thing in the morning to the car and smell.... chocolate :-)

Currently, it seems there is no standard imposed on the industry to demonstrate that levels of unsafe chemical pesticide residues are within safe limits. Countries of Central America and other cocoa-producing nations do not have the same standards and use pesticides banned here, too. Rules have been proposed to standardize testing of these products, as seen here: http://www.leg.wa.gov/documents/wsr/2000/13/00-13-012.htm I believe this kind of document demonstrates that there is at least a reasonable safety concern involved. Some organic guides I've seen also advise avoiding use of these products unless pesticide levels have been tested and disclosed. The bean itself is located within the interior of a fruit, but I suspect that the pesticides may be picked up during post-harvest processing, such as when the beans are spread out (they used to do it between banana leaves, I'm not sure how it's done now) to ferment and develop the delicious chocolate flavor. The mulch probably doesn't decay so much if located where the sun can dry it quickly. In the shade and with moisture, it's always molded very quickly on me.

Thanks for the feedback folks. I have a friend that works in the confectionary field so I have access to cocoa shell mulch. I already removed pine bark mulches from two of my blueberry plants and put cocoa shell mulches on them. I used to have a dog but that was few years back. Interesting enough my 70 lbs rough collie once ate a 3 pound block of chocolate! He was able to meticulously peel the wrapper (paper and aluminum) off from the chocolate bar and ate the whole thing! He was okay afterward though.... I guess he was big enough to not to get sick from that chocolate bar :p

carp!!!! i just went down there.. to get the dregs out of the old bag... looked at the new bag.. and didnt think to register the name ... OK i will walk down there right now ... BTW... no recollection of the seedlings.. care to post a pic some time.. and not buried in this post ... i am currently using up a 12 year old bag of: scott's metromix 360 ..... stored dry.. these huge bags have a half life of FOREVER .... buy an extra plastic garbage can.. and make sure it gets and stays dry ... my new 3 cubic foot bag.. unopenned.. from local high end nursery is: Berger BM8 .. the 8 is mixed with compost ... i would have also bought a bag of mini chunks if i were potting trees ... or walked out to one of my woodchip piles ... and just mixed in one pot for ever 2 ... or 1/3 chips .... cost for 3 cu foot bag was around $17 ... what are you guys paying at bigboxstore for what size .... ken