Hi, rina. I know wood chips are different than bark, but I saw a nursery that was using these mixed with some alder saw dust. In about a year it turned to this incredible black, rich "soil". The guy as the nursery said it breaks down better and more nutritious for the soil and depletes less nitrogen in the process. The wood chips I was seeking are about the size of medium bark in nurseries. In retrospect, I am glad I didn't try that. Works great outdoors, not sure about containers! The black bark is essentially composted evergreen tree bark. I say evergreen because it could be a mix of a number of different types here in the Pacific NW --- hemlock, fir, ceder, spruce, etc. I didn't screen it, it seemed plenty loose initially; small to medium size in comparison to bagged nursery store bark. It would have been o.k. had I added the peat and perlite per the formulas given here. Screening would have left just the larger pieces, but that would be quite a chore for the volume I was using! I repotted some of the plants using the 5:1:1 formula with my black bark and those are doing much, much, better. A gardening friend said "Think of it...bark is like big saw dust. If you pack it down it gets as hard as a board". That is essentially what happened when I used the black bark alone without the the perlite and moss. ;(

Hi Rob!! Awesome bench you have there and I love the set up you have made for your beauties!! Great job, my friend!!!! Those pictures of your Adeniums, clarity, color and overall beauty is simply stunning! Just beautiful.... I have been really busy lately with my job as well as taking care of my aging mother. She was sick in November and is still not doing well. She needs a lot of attention and help now, so when I'm home from my job, I'm usually helping her, my daughter and grandson etc. I am Hoping that I'll see some routine back in my life that will include my quiet time that allows me to enjoy my trees and visit the forums as well. But she is my priority right now and I'm trying to balance her and my family. it will all be fine, so I just take it day by day. Thank you for thinking of me... it means a lot and it touches my heart !! You are always a shining light and I'm thankful!! Hugs!!! Laura

Try Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve in Buchanon, Michigan (this is extreme southern Michigan, close to South Bend, Indiana). Their web address is www.fernwoodbotanical.org, or call them at 1-269-683-8653. Fernwood is on a river. One of the plants I like best there is a beautiful tri-color beech tree. There's also a gift shop with not only the usual stuff but plants as well--lots of kinds of ferns, for example--and they have a really big plant sale (twice a year, I think)where you can buy great stuff you don't find in most catalogs, let alone nurseries. They offer a nice little lunch buffet in a dining room with woodland garden print wallpaper. But of course, the best part is walking through the gardens. Do you like woods, prairie, river bank, or English-style gardens? Take your pick; they're all here. Here is a link that might be useful: Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve

Checking back in with all of you. I probably need to put this post on the discussion side. My mom is holding up OK, very sad and crying often. She was happy to go into town with my sis-in-law to get a rental car. Her insurance, State Farm, is being wonderful, and that is a lot off her mind. Now I can't remember where I left off, but we did get a call from the nursing home that her husband died, but the morgue has not yet identified him. They will only do DNA or fingerprint ID, so it takes time and believe me when I say that group of people move extremely slow---from their first questionaire she had to fill out to the de-briefing they do while we were there. I think she will do a memorial service, and if the body is released before or after, we won't have to worry about that. She needs to move forward, it is a terrible feeling knowing she has to get through that service--I think she is dreading it very much. She can barely take going to other funerals, and this one will exhaust her, that's just the way she is, more emotional than a lot of people. I'm attaching a couple of sites for more information, and so many have asked about giving back. I don't have a for sure place to send you, but I do know the area churches are doing a lot, if you want to send money through them. I think mom is giving some cash someone gave her to the humane society. I'm hoping they have her cats, she went to see today. They are housing all animals for as long as it takes, and they do need the extra cash. It is a new facility, and thank goodness we had it available. There is surely a place to send donations for those without insurance, and believe me Joplin has a large rental population, and I'd bet most didn't have renters insurance. If I figure it out I'll let you know. http://joplinhumane.org/ https://www.facebook.com/joplinmo The facebook page has a lot of info, you might have to scroll back for awhile, so many people are posting. Thanks so much for caring about my town. I had a good cry yesterday when I saw the 100 yr old grade school my boys attended, and the buildings around it. By the time I drove another block, I couldn't even tell where I was, no landmarks at all. And the High School makes me cry, my husband has been the principal for 9 yrs and my boys informed me that is "their home away from home" since they have hung out there for that long. My oldest is 16 and the younger son is 13, so their lives revolved around there--going to games, sitting in dad's office, and now going to school. They are bummed to say the least. I think as cleanup progresses, and new things are built up, they'll see it will all come around, just won't be the same, but possibly some will be better, huh? Thanks for listening, I guess I needed to talk today. I'm home sewing, the shop is closed on Fridays, and I didn't want to drive into town if I could help it.