Abstract: Bark chips articles for use as mulch for houseplants. A mulch composition is formed of Douglas Fir bark that has been chipped to have a longest dimension in the range of about 0.5 cm to about 3 cm (averaging a length of about 1 cm). The bark chips have been treated chemically so that they will not float when doused with water. A process of making the mulch composition includes selection of appropriate bark material from which the chips are to be formed, chipping the bark, and sterilizing it prior to one or more chemical treatment processes.

Abstract: A base mountable in a container supports a plurality of article support members having notches offset from notches in adjacent article support members for supporting articles in a horizontally nested orientation. Additional article support members are engagable with upper portions of the articles for receiving articles in a second overlaying tier in which the second tier of articles are nested vertically within the first tier of articles as well as horizontally from other articles in the second tier of articles. Each article support member is formed of an extruded tubular member having exterior flanges which receive a rack carrying the notches. The rack is formed of cross-linked polyethylene.