Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 61May 31, 2011 2:12 pm I found a supplier of zeolite in my area. If anyone is interested it is Robert Hampton, the crop doctor in Maitland. Price is around $15-20 per 25kg bag. They don't supply spongolite but he has something similar called Diatomaceous earth. From what I have read it sounds very similar to spongolite in that it is a crushed silica mineral formed from fossilised algae, as written in the wikipedia link. Price is somewhere around $15-20 for a 15kg bag. He also recommended to add this in with the zeolite. He also mentioned a product called TM21, which he described as a bacterial activator. It doesn't add any new bacteria into the soil as with bioasis bactivate, but it apparently greatly encourages the natural bacteria present in the soil to grow. He recommended this over any bacteria additives as it promotes the growth of the indigenous bacteria instead of introducing new ones. Price is $60 for 1L, which is apparently enough for around 600 m2. He sounded very knowledgable. Fu Manchu, how does the Diatomaceous earth sound as an alternative to spongolite to you? How does the TM21 sound to you? Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 62Jun 05, 2011 6:58 pm Use perlite instead of spongolite. Diamotaceous earth is commonly used to naturally control things like millipedes, slaters, grubs because it cuts their little bodies to bits. Death by a thousand cuts. Good find on the zeolite. It is available from pool shops too because its used as a sand filter alternative in saltwater pool set ups Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 63Jun 05, 2011 7:15 pm As for the TM21, well that is just what zeolite does and so does the perlite. Using molasses is also the same concept. It provides minerals and complex sugars which will make the soil microbes explode in population. Zeolite provides the habitat. Why spend all that money when something as cheap as perlite and molasses will do as good a job. Just tryin' help you guys navigate the complex world of assorted rubbish and also product overload out there. Some are good or worth the money as well as balancing that with their environmental impact. Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 64Jun 09, 2011 10:15 am Just thought I should add that Bunnings stocks zeolite too (or at least, they do around here). It's in the pool chemicals section (as a filter sand replacement), a product called Hy-Clor. I wasn't sure so I called the manufacturer and they assured me that it's just zeolite. Can't remember the price but it might have been more expensive than what some of you have found - maybe something like $20 for a big bag (15kgs or so?). Still, it's an easy place to get it from for those of you having trouble tracking it down. Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 65Jun 09, 2011 7:58 pm StartingOut ... around here ... Where is here? Please tell ... BTW, totally agree that BGS is the most convenient place to get it from (if they have it "here" too ) My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 66Jun 10, 2011 9:47 am Sorry! 'Here' is Brisbane It would be well worth checking where you are too though - it's just hiding away with the pool chemicals and took me a while to find it again even after I saw it there on a previous visit. Of course the staff said that they don't stock any zeolite, which didn't help things. From memory it doesn't say anything about zeolite on the bag, but it does say it on the little price tag on the shelf. And the product I think is called zeo-clor and it's made by hy-clor, or something along those lines. http://www.hyclor.com.au/Default.aspx Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 67Jun 10, 2011 2:41 pm Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 70Jun 11, 2011 11:18 pm Building Perth, lots and lots of bentonite clay. When we get full sprinkler bans you'll thank me. *And folks that here in WA is far more than what it was over east Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 71Jun 12, 2011 9:32 am Yep Lovegroves... about 120sqm... and the rest is gonna get mulch and natives (which I'll likely get from Carramar Coastal Nursery - cheap and their plants dont die like from Big Green Box) Its going to be a slight two step process as we are waiting for the liquid limestone to go down out the back before laying the lawn... but really looking forward to doing it properly. Bentonite is the kitty litter right? I know its a recurring question for me... but how much roughly per sqm for the bentonite? Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 73Jun 12, 2011 8:21 pm Yep. This is great guide written up by a great man and long time mentor of sorts. From: http://www.plantsman.com.au/ http://www.plantsman.com.au/page2/page2.html http://www.plantsman.com.au/page2/files ... 20clay.pdf Now, it's important to note that John has a similar view to myself of making a high standard of advice and information available for free for the greater goal of changing old garden habits for the better. We do differ in our approaches and they are my words not his. The benefits we can offer here in WA will change the habits of the whole country. These are his words ... Quote: “The Plantsman” is produced by John Colwill in the interests of promoting sustainable gardening in Western Australia. This newsletter may be freely reproduced and distributed providing the author’s copyright is acknowledged. To download this or other issues please visit the website http://www.plantsman.com.au *Bentonite Clay need only used in sandy soils. *The method outlined here is one way. I just chuck it round and let time do the work. This is also done by others who I know. However the method John has documented is the ultra effective method. *For East Coast readers, this method of dissolving the bentonite is highly effective in rejuvenating old potting mixes or helping solve rapid drying of established pot plants. Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 74Jun 12, 2011 9:19 pm Have I mentioned that these methods are equally as important in garden beds too? Well they are. Get the mulch right and you set in place the mechanism to sustain a landscape that has a reduced environmental impact and continues to appreciate the value of the home. For which mulch to use search my user name and mulch in this forum Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 77Jun 15, 2011 8:35 am Realised getting bulk supply from Milne feeds in whelshpool will be cheaper. ESP since the application rate for bentonite is is 0.5-2kg/sqm. Aiming for the 2kg range = 240kg Can anyone tell me when to get bactivate from? Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 78Jun 15, 2011 2:35 pm So... My figures for 180 sqm so far are Piggypost 30sqm/bag = 6bags @ $190bag (Datso) Zeolite 750g/sqm = 135kg @ $19.95/10kg Bentonite (sodium) 0.5-2kg/sqm = 360kg @ $15/25kg bag (or a bulk bag $187 ??kg) Bactivate 25kg bag (approx) $75 Does anyone know if these figures look right? Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 79Jun 17, 2011 4:22 pm $20 for 15-20 kg or there abouts from zeolite from a pool shop The piggy post would be the Rolls Royce of soils in bulk. To get cost down you would use Premium Compost from EurekaCompost.com.au 1m3 $80 plus delivery. Benonite over 30m2 I'd just use 2 bags of the bentonite from a farm shop. 2x 20kg bags from memory. Check the bentonite link I posted somewhere too. Its on John Colwill's PlantsMan.com.au It will help Also on SustainableOutdoors.com.au $75 for the Bactivate??? Olsens from Mirco should cost about $30. One bag or even half a bag over that area. Re: Fu Manchu's Guide to Laying Turf & More 80Jun 17, 2011 7:58 pm Yeah the Bentonite figure is based on the second link from Plantman... as its covering 180sqm... the downside is that I can get 1000kg for $180 or 360kg in 25kg for $260.... anyone interested in going halves in a bag? The bactivate was from the bioasis manufacturer..... thought it reasonable considering..... he suggested half before and then about three months down the track apply other half and wash in with molasses Got 6 bulk backs of piggypost coming....... ordered today..... anyone feels like shifting 6cu m with me I'm about to put down some Merbau. Is it necessary to oil underneath the boards before laying? 0 1938 Hey There. No problems re jumping in. My original question was "should I have waterproofed" the concrete slab before putting batons down. We have been told we should… 7 4332 They using concrete or timber sleepers? Timber or steel uprights? Any drainage behind sleeper? 3 5900 |