Dear All:
There has been a lot of discussions on soil, but I haven't seen much concerning the top dressing of the soil. Most of my soil has a very coarse look, and I would love to hear what others use to cover their soil to give a smoother finished look. Of course, I would also like to know where they obtain this ingredient.

What product is used fotop dressing for those who like to create forests, the moss will not adhear to the coarse ingredients that I have used in the past..

Thanks in advance for your in put.
Carl L. Rosner


Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
Arteacher3725 [at] yahoo.com
www.carlrosner.com
http://www.yessy.com/arteacher3725
http://rosner.becanz.net

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

In a message dated 10/14/2005 7:53:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,
arteacher3725 [at] YAHOO.COM writes:

I would love to hear what others use to cover their soil to give a smoother
finished look


Well, I am not sure that anyone will approve of what I do, But.

For the plants in Turface/pumice/pea gravel/composted pine bark I might
use nothing. I actually that look.

Or, I have access to a very coarse sand used in sand blasting. It comes
from a quarry near Polk City, Florida. But, a sand blasting business or
monument company might have bags to sell or a source.

Or, if I am using Metro Mix I might just but on a fresh layer before
showing at work.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 10/14/2005 7:53:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> arteacher3725 [at] YAHOO.COM writes:
>
> I would love to hear what others use to cover their soil to give a smoother
> finished look
>
>
> Well, I am not sure that anyone will approve of what I do, But.
>
> For the plants in Turface/pumice/pea gravel/composted pine bark I might
> use nothing. I actually that look.
>
> Or, I have access to a very coarse sand used in sand blasting. It comes
> from a quarry near Polk City, Florida. But, a sand blasting business or
> monument company might have bags to sell or a source.
>
> Or, if I am using Metro Mix I might just but on a fresh layer before
> showing at work.
>

I always keep a small bucket with the not-dust fines sifted
from my Turface equivalent. I use that when I need a bare
pot with a smooth surface.

However, with our humidity, I usually can just let the moss
grow.

Jim Lewis - jklewis [at] nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

On Oct 14, 2005, at 7:41 PM, Carl Rosner wrote:

>
> Dear All:
> There has been a lot of discussions on soil, but I haven't seen much
> concerning the top dressing of the soil. Most of my soil has a very
> coarse look, and I would love to hear what others use to cover their
> soil to give a smoother finished look. Of course, I would also like to
> know where they obtain this ingredient.
>
> What product is used fotop dressing for those who like to create
> forests, the moss will not adhear to the coarse ingredients that I
> have used in the past..
>
> Thanks in advance for your in put.
> Carl L. Rosner
>
>
I don't use anything for a top dressing. Anita and I use our own
compost as a soil component so that's finer than the turface or bark.
If I'm going to display my trees I put moss on the surface.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

I don't normally use top dressing, although if I have some odd colored grit
in my mix, I will put on a top layer of straight red lava rock. Although
not everyone likes the color of the lava rock, I find it to be pleasing.

I also find that moss will adhere and grow on the lava rock. I don't
normally add moss, but wait for it to volunteer. Sometimes I will sprinkle
on some crumbled up moss, which then speeds the process for natural moss
growth.

Regards,
Roger Snipes
Spokane, WA. Zone 5-ish

>> There has been a lot of discussions on soil, but I haven't seen much
>> concerning the top dressing of the soil. Most of my soil has a very
>> coarse look, and I would love to hear what others use to cover their soil
>> to give a smoother finished look. Of course, I would also like to know
>> where they obtain this ingredient.
>>
>> What product is used fotop dressing for those who like to create forests,
>> the moss will not adhear to the coarse ingredients that I have used in
>> the past..
>>

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

I thank you all for your input.....

Carl L. Rosner

GOPHERHILL [at] aol.com wrote:
In a message dated 10/14/2005 7:53:18 PM Eastern Standard Time, arteacher3725 [at] YAHOO.COM writes:
I would love to hear what others use to cover their soil to give a smoother finished look

Well, I am not sure that anyone will approve of what I do, But.

For the plants in Turface/pumice/pea gravel/composted pine bark I might use nothing. I actually that look.

Or, I have access to a very coarse sand used in sand blasting. It comes from a quarry near Polk City, Florida. But, a sand blasting business or monument company might have bags to sell or a source.

Or, if I am using Metro Mix I might just but on a fresh layer before showing at work.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast


Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
Arteacher3725 [at] yahoo.com
www.carlrosner.com
http://www.yessy.com/arteacher3725
http://rosner.becanz.net

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++