Soil mix

Walter Pall · Jan 11, 2016

Eric Group said:
Ok, there are lots of great options for soil as has been stated previously. Is "Akadama" a ""Super ingredient"? Probably not. It is good stuff though for a water retentive element with a good particle size.. Yeah, it breaks down over time as roots fill the pot, but according to some this is beneficial... At the very least it seems a good indicator of when is a good time to report the tree!

If I had to point to one ingredient that is seemingly MADE FOR BONSAI (is is NOT, but just seems like it is perfect, may BE the "super ingredient") I would say it is pumice!
Pourous surface- lots of areas to hold water and for water evaporation/ ion exchange.. All that good stuff.
Irregular shapes- when coupled with the fact it does not "break down" into mush, this means it retains a pourous soil structure..
JUST heavy enough that it won't float right out the pot easily like perlite, but light enough that your pot won't wish to more than it should because of the addition of pumice to the mix...
Light color somewhat unappealing, but it is not completely STARK WHITE like perlite..

Overall, I have found that pumice mixed with anything (turface and Pune barked JUST pine bark, Akadama, lava And Akadama, PEAT for peat's sake, COMPOST...) I have tried for bonsai mixes has it been VERY successful, and many of the experts out there use Pumice alone to plant collected material in as a means of bringing it back to health, so I imagine pumice ALONE is a fine bonsai "soil"... Kanuma is after all a type of pumice basically and many people swear by it as the sole ingredient for Azaleas...

So, if affordability, availability... Is an issue, then this may be the best part! Pumice is relatively affordable compared to Akadama and even a bit cheaper than lava in my experience! If you want to "splurge" and get one great ingredient to add to your "budget bonsai" mix, make it pumice. You can find LARGE bags on eBay.. 3 gallons +, For about $23 or so including shipping! Easily worth it IMO...

Amen

Walter Pall

Djtommy · Jan 11, 2016

Eric Group said:
You can find LARGE bags on eBay.. 3 gallons +, For about $23 or so including shipping! Easily worth it IMO...

Ok, you can buy akadama, yakiakadama for cheaper than that in japan.
Thats probably 1 of the big reasons it is often used here.

sorce · Jan 11, 2016

thumblessprimate1 said:
Regarding perlite, have you tried a different method of watering? I use an extra fine spray, sort of like misting; keeps the substrate from washing away or floating. As it's kept saturated it seems to stay in place as well as pumice. If you over saturate it, then it begins to float.

I feel like you will not be getting much oxygen exchange in this manner....
But perlite is so airy it might not matter.

But you may stand better root health with another soil, pumice?

@Eric Group
The guy who finds a way to dye pumice....
The bonsai millionaire.

Sorce

thumblessprimate1 · Jan 11, 2016

sorce said:
I feel like you will not be getting much oxygen exchange in this manner....
But perlite is so airy it might not matter.

But you may stand better root health with another soil, pumice?

Sorce

I don't know. I'll take pictures if I remember of how my roots look like in a few trees grown in soil composed primarily of perlite. I've been using a lot of perlite and or pumice mixes. What else I mix them with is usually pine bark.

sorce · Jan 11, 2016

thumblessprimate1 said:
I don't know. I'll take pictures if I remember of how my roots look like in a few trees grown in soil composed primarily of perlite. I've been using a lot of perlite and or pumice mixes. What else I mix them with is usually pine bark.

Righteous.....it's just a feeling I have....
If it is right....I only see about a 7% better growth anyway....

But, little things little things!

Sorce

M. Frary · Jan 11, 2016

sorce said:
The guy who finds a way to dye pumice..

Maybe soak it in tea or coffee.

sorce · Jan 11, 2016

M. Frary said:
Maybe soak it in tea or coffee.

That's what I was thinking....

It can't be too hard!

Just the algae on it darkens it well...

Sorce

M. Frary · Jan 11, 2016

I tried to dye floor dri but it didn't hold. Used a bunch of food coloring mixed together.

sorce · Jan 11, 2016

Its actually quite moot IMO.

Moss, cover negative space with lava,
Complete..

People must have xray vision!

Sorce

JoeR · Jan 11, 2016

M. Frary said:
Maybe soak it in tea or coffee.

Or just buy some from wee tree

GrimLore · Jan 11, 2016

M. Frary said:
I tried to dye floor dri but it didn't hold.

It does not matter what you dye, or how you dye it. The fact that you are dumping water over it almost daily and even worse sun exposure will cause fade quickly. It is really is best to find a lava color(s) you like and use it for a topping when it is needed. Even that will fade over time and I see many just use a topping when showing, etc... One of those small Coco Brushes does a good job when removing it between uses. The 'big guys" don't really speak on it but if you listen closely when they speak it is what many of them do

Grimmy

Eric Group · Jan 11, 2016

Djtommy said:
Ok, you can buy akadama, yakiakadama for cheaper than that in japan.
Thats probably 1 of the big reasons it is often used here.

OH, absolutely it is! A bag of Akadama of comparable size in the states is... $40-50 usually... Where I have seen it anyway...

fredman · Jan 11, 2016

sorce said:
dye pumice....

How about pink...?

Dav4 · Jan 11, 2016

For your consideration, I found this on Facebook today...
http://crataegus.com/2016/01/11/further-thoughts-on-turface

sorce · Jan 11, 2016

fredman said:
How about pink...?
View attachment 91540

Love pink!

But wasn't there only one there?

Magic?

Sorce

fredman · Jan 11, 2016

Yeah only the one. Probable drifted here from Fairyland...

Anthony · Jan 11, 2016

Place growing moss over the Perlite, should keep it in place.

Isn't Akadama, a form of pumice decaying into clay ?

I love these soil discussions, and wonder why questions never focus on the individual asking.
As I said before, what are you hoping to grow, watering how ................................

There should there be a standard form with questions, presented for soil questions ?
Good Day
Anthony

markyscott · Jan 11, 2016

Anthony said:
Isn't Akadama, a form of pumice decaying into clay ?

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/pumice-and-lava-rock-comparison.17420/page-2#post-235009

wireme · Jan 11, 2016

thumblessprimate1 said:
Regarding perlite, have you tried a different method of watering? I use an extra fine spray, sort of like misting; keeps the substrate from washing away or floating. As it's kept saturated it seems to stay in place as well as pumice. If you over saturate it, then it begins to float.

Yeah me too, I use fogg-it nozzles, I can water perlite without washing it away, the finest spray nozzle they make is 0.25 gallons per minute and they have a few different heads going up to 4 g/minute. I use the 2g/m one now but I'd like to try the 4. They are very inexpensive also, about $7.

wireme · Jan 11, 2016

Anthony said:
Place growing moss over the Perlite, should keep it in place.

That works well too, not sure about showing stage but during collection recovery when surface visuals don't matter it's great, little spruce here, nearly 100% perlite with moss over top, lift the moss and roots are running all over the surface of the perlite under the moss, pretty cool. This tree was lightly styled this year but I never did take a pic.

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