You can probably find Turface for less than you would pay at a bonsai store. Where do you live?

The purpose of using the gritty mix is to provide a root environment free of perched water. If you don't screen ingredients so they are of a size large enough to eliminate or greatly reduce the effects of that issue, it makes no sense to go to the effort, and the soil you end up with will be little different than the heavier, water-retentive mixes, as far as root health is concerned.

Growing is about compromise. If you can't water more often than once per week, you'll need to use a soil that will get you through a week between waterings and live with the limitations of what comes with it. You probably can use the gritty mix with screened ingredients by going to something like

4-5 parts screened Turface
3 parts screened pine or fir bark
1-2 parts crushed granite

That soil will hold a LOT of water.

Al

Thanks, Al. I'm in Grand Rapids, MI. Where should I get fir bark? What is a typical price for turface? I read another thread in which you talked about growing in 100% turface- Not applicable in my situation?

I've grown some plants in 100% Turface, but you do need to be careful about your watering. Turface holds a lot of water. I wish the particle size of Turface was just a little larger. It's a little too small to be ideal. Combining it with the bark and grit helps to tame the more than ample water retention it has as a stand alone ingredient.

You can get Turface MVP at Commerce Corporation, 4660 East Paris Ave SE, GR, (616) 541-3000. They're a big outfit - it wouldn't hurt to ask them if they have fir bark in 1/8-1/4" size. I get mine from NW of Chicago when I'm there, but pine bark fines can be screened - which is what I always did until I found the fir bark.

{{gwi:2389}}

Al