Hi again everyone, The first question I posted was not about the cost of mixes, but what other methods of treatment the bark or indeed the bark in the mixes were given to age it, aside from composting. The reason being that a lot of growers use bark which is primarily marketed for orchid growers (in fact I have never seen a bark or mix in my area specifically marketed for bromeliads). I got the answer I was looking for from the Orchid Forum when one of the growers gave the ingredients for the treatment, and my suspicions were right, I shouldn't be rushing into buying this aged bark with out knowing the process it goes through or whether it has been tried and tested by other growers first. The answer to my question was as follow: Posted by arthurm NSW AUST (My Page) on Fri, Apr 23, 10 at 1:18 Here is a recipe. Not recommended. Too much trouble and probably cheaper to buy a commercial product. "PeterÂs" formula for soaking bark to treat one 50 litre bag Urea - 130 Grams Dolomite - 35 Grams Potassium Sulphate - 25 Grams Ferris Sulphate - 35 Grams Copper Sulphate - 10 Grams Soak bark in this mixture for 10 days. Treatment provides some nutrients and reduces acidity so that orchid roots are not damaged. As arthurm says "probably cheaper to buy a commercial product" The point I'm trying to make is that even if we do buy a commercial product, some barks in fact could have been treated with chemicals (including copper) during the treatment process and although not harmful to orchids, I have had bad experiences with copper on bromeliads in the past and I personally am now extra cautious. The other thing is of course, that as some of the commercial mixes list some of the major ingredients such as wood products, sand, peat, perlite, fertilizer, wetting agents etc. while others don't, and as yet, I've not seen any reference to whether or not the bark has been treated initially with chemicals and what, if any traces may remain. I didn't mean to "stir the pot" with my questions, but just thought the info may be worth considering when selecting the bark you use in your mixes. All the best, Nev.

Terminox is a great media when used within correct operating parameters. There are other similar medias out available that will do the same thing, but Terminox has a lower density so is often more practical for well water. The EasyWater company is very low on technical knowhow. I would avoid them like the plague. Any reputable water treatment company can properly size and install an iron removal system for your. Having local vendors out for a look is a good idea. Having someone local to call can be invaluable if 1) you are new to water treatment and 2) they have the knowledge to help. In future, start a new thread so that your information doesn't get muddied with someone else's.

Fertilizer plan for pots is tricky, since potting soil doesn't have trace elements like in-the ground soil. Pots leach out nutrients with frequent watering. Pots accumulate the alkalinity of tap-water, and pots become more alkaline in hot & dry climate. The ratio of nutrients is important. Re-post what U. of CA found in rose-tissue: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7465.html For low-ratios, it would be 3 Nitrogen, 2 Potassium, and 0.2 Phosphorus, plus 1 Calcium and 0.25 magnesium. For ppm it would be 50 iron, 30 manganese, 30 boron, 15 zinc, and 5 copper. Re-post the outline which I wrote for Carol in 2015 regarding fertilizer plan for pots. Tomato-Tone is better than Rose-Tone since it has more of the expensive green sand for potassium, plus gypsum for calcium. I always put a couple of earthworms inside my pots, and some organics on top to feed them. Tomato-Tone NPK is 3-4-6, with 8% calcium, contains Bio-tone®, Espoma proprietary blend of beneficial microbes. ONCE A MONTH in hot & dry weather: Tomato Tone NPK 4-3-6 to supply the trace elements of zinc, copper, and boron in chicken manure. Plant Tone is cheaper and works the same. ONCE A MONTH in rainy weather: Pea Gravel & red-lava-rock to supply the calcium & magnesium & trace-elements. That's to fulfill the high-ratios of nutrients in rose tissue in %: 5 nitrogen, 3 potassium, 0.3 phosphorus, 1.5 calcium, and 0.35 magnesium. For ppm it would be 250 manganese, 150 iron, 15 copper, 50 zinc, and 60 boron. Below is Yves-seedling, which I grew from a tiny-seed in 2012, it's 7-months old in 5 hours of morning sun. MG-moisture control potting soil is used. Jobes NPK 2-7-4 is mixed into the potting soil for beneficial bacteria. It's watered 3 times a week with tiny amount of sulfate of potash (21% sulfur at NPK 0-0-50) together with gypsum (calcium sulfate with 17% sulfur) to lower my high pH tap-water. I don't like the high urea, high salt of MG-soluble, so I used a tiny bit of high-phosphorus Bloom-Booster (lower salt-index) for trace elements. Lots of buds (more than 5) on a 7-month-old baby grown from seed. Potassium and calcium, plus phosphorus are needed for solid-root-growth to survive my 5a winter (I transfer roses from pots to ground before winter hit). Below is Excellenz Von Schubert that Seaweed in CA grew In full-sun, fertilized with fish emulsion. Seaweed uses Gardner & Bloom organic potting soil for EVS rose, it blooms lots for her, despite her low annual rainfall of 11" per year: Here's the ingredients in Gardner & Bloom potting soil for the above pot that Seaweed used: "INGREDIENTS: Recycled forest products, bark fines, peat moss, perlite, sand, composted chicken manure, alfalfa meal, bone meal, oyster shell & dolomite limes (as pH adjusters), worm castings, bat guano, kelp meal." http://www.kellogggarden.com/products/gborganics/soils/?s=rose-flower-planting-mix

Red lava rock, or red-lava-sand, is a great source of iron and potassium. pH of red-lava-rock is 8.2. Red-lava rock is OK like 3 or 4 pieces, too much will UP the soil pH, plus prevent water from soaking through. I went to my neighbor when it was above 90 F one summer. She mulched her roses with THICK layer of black lava rock. I touched them, and they are the same temp. as our rock-hard-clay. She overkilled on the lava-rock: too much potassium drove down nitrogen, so her roses didn't have much leaves, lots of blooms. I would use no more than 3 pieces per rose .. too much and one gets iron-burnt (brown-spot). http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1539970/lava-rock-as-mulch ocdgardener(8) From what I understand about Lava Rocks is: Lava rock breaks down into Lava Sand. From all the sand in the bags I know it happens! Lava Sand is recommended as a soil amendment to HOLD MOISTURE. Now, the only thing I'm not sure about is temperature. I did notice though oddly enough last night when I got home from work the plants in the same bed mulched with cedar were wilting, the plants surrounded by lava were not. Here's the positives I've found thus far. On a slope where my bed is, compost, and every thing else added at the base of the plants washes down to the bottom and is replaced with bare soil. I have to add mulch over and over because it all slides away. The Lava Rocks are not only holding the compost in place but are keeping me from having bare soil. I know it does because we had a heavy rain this morning and I looked and everything was in place! --Not the usual bare soil I see after a rain! I think I should explain how I'm using the rock. I'm taking one rock at a time and pressing it into the soil. When you think of lava rocks as a mulch I think most people tend to imagine it piled up. ocdgardener(8) oh and btw you can't really see that much of the rock anyway - because the plants cover them. Example: This is what the yard looks like in the spring. ocdgardener(8) Update on the lava rock! I bought a soil thermoter and tested the temps. Although not lower, the temps were pretty close to the same by a degree. Also, I have calendulas blooming in the bed in the HEAT of summer. I've never had that before! mrwsm_yahoo_com Lava Rock has low thermal mass. It does not retain heat. Lava Rock keeps the soil soft like mulch, so if there is a weed, no problem, it pulls really easy. I prefer red lava rock, although I have both. Never put plastic underneath it! It keeps most weeds out as is. rickjones I don't know what happened to my original post, but here is a short repeat. LAVA ROCKS ARE WONDERFUL PLANTERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE EXTREME HEAT OF THE MOHAVE DESERT. Yup. I build and use cedar planters and window boxes all over my home, they are great, but do not compare with the flowers grown in the lava rocks that I hollow out and plant a variety of species in. Plants in these rocks see temps to 120 degress in our summers and do just fine! They retain moisture, cool with the air temps, and fertilize plants naturally. I don't use lava rock for bedding, I can see the problems with that. But as a planter? The best planter I have ever had. AND, no maintenance, and years of use looking great. jocoreed_yahoo_com Anyone who questions the ability of lava rock as a growing medium needs to come visit our islands out here in the Pacific. Our Hawaiian islands are completely volcanic is soil and sediment, covered in pure lava rock, and we have the most beautiful plants, trees, produce, and the like. Lava rock and volcanic soil is some of the most nutrient friendly planting medium on earth and is porous enough that it allows for good oxygenation and water flow. Come visit our islands and then come back and post how it's horrible to grow anything in volcanic rock or lava sand. Just my two cents : ) Aloooooha! http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1539970/lava-rock-as-mulch