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    Re-pot Bonsai or not? Please help

    The tree looks as if it is in a questionable soil. If the soil is too full of fine particles which will pack around the roots like a common houseplant, they will be starved of oxygen. I use a mixture of a very small amount of soil containing bark & perlite, soil conditioner with a lot of bark, &...
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    Can't find bonsai soil anywhere

    I always make my own. Consider your weather when you make your soil but I use equal amounts of pea gravel (available from most landscape companies), turface, & bark or a soil heavily containing small bark.Some soil conditioners are composed of this. Cut back on the organic matter for some...
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    Got a new boxwood

    I bought & styled a boxwood into a tree like one I saw online styled in the form of the Angel Oak on John's Island outside Charleston, SC. Washing the roots is a necessity & a pot that allows plenty of room so that no more than the necessary roots will fill it up with a minimal of trimming. I...
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    bark

    Lowe's soil conditioner is excellent! I've used it many times!!
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    JRP propagation

    I agree that air layering is the best way to get a new plant started from the one the air layer is produced from! I have done many gardenias & find them easy to air layer. Azaleas are harder & do best with layering the "old fashioned way" by putting part of a long limb under the soil around the...
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    Newbie to Bonsai. (High Resolution Image warning)

    I agree that it is a Procumbens nana. Remember that junipers are outdoor trees, never inside unless for a few minutes. In the winter keep it in a sheltered area like a garage with lights. I use clip-on lights with a 100 watt energy efficiency bulbs for my plants when inside on tables. They don't...
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    What if you can't get Turface?

    Pine bark would probably be the best since peat moss holds water which is not drainable & holds water in bonsai soil even though I've heard of some who do use it. Personally I wouldn't risk it. When it gets a little dry it is very difficult to rehydrate. Water rolls off it until it is repeatedly...
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    New Bonsai - What is it and why is it going yellow?

    Water & applying appropriate minerals to deal with yellowing leaves Seems it has either been watered too much or too little. When leaves turn yellow it can indicate a need for magnesium. This can be handled by adding a small amount of epsom salts when it is watered next time.
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    Benji Ficus Soil Issue

    A good fungcide One good fungicide often overlooked but safe to use is to crush one aspirin (325 mg) very finely & mix into a gallon jug of water. Shake well. Do not use this too often, but it will serve as a fungicide when needed. If using green moss on a plant to enhance its appearance...
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    I TRIED SOME SMALL (ABOUT 10") SEQUOIAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. i PUT THEM IN GOOD SOIL (MIRACLE...

    I TRIED SOME SMALL (ABOUT 10") SEQUOIAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. i PUT THEM IN GOOD SOIL (MIRACLE GRO WITH BARK ADDED TO AID IN DRAINAGE) & KEPT THEM WATERED WELL WHICH WERE THE INSTRUCTIONS BUT THEY ALL EVENTUALLY DIED. IT WAS EITHER THE SOURCE OR SOMETHING I DID WRONG. IS THERE A VERY GOOD...
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    White moldy looking growth covering base of Gardenia Bonsai

    Mycorrhizal Fungi From the picture the white areas appear to be mycorrhizal fungus which is a very beneficial fungus. From what I've seen I'm pretty sure the white material in your plant is this fungus. It can be pinched away from the roots & mixed into the new soil as you replant. It...
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    Soil for Azalea

    Azalea Bonsai Soil Since pine needles are acidic you might get a small handful & with scissors clip small pieces into your soil mixture. I've done this in the past & had good luck.
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    Bonsai in Houston TX

    Who to ask about relocating to Houston TX If I were you I would contact Fred Byer of Dallas Bonsai & get his opinion on moving to Austin. He runs a good business in Dallas. I have bought some items from Dallas Bonsai & he would be the one to ask about your move.
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    What if you can't get Turface?

    Diatomite & other ingredients for Bonsai soil I have used it but one John Deere supplier in the Greenville,sc area as well as in other areas carries turface. I would use diatomatious earth if turface wasn't avail. but for a basic mix I get soil conditioner from Lowe's (Evergreen brand) &...
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    Frustrated with bonsai ability

    Reply Don't give up. I have never belonged to a bonsai club but, like you go to books but mainly websites. I have put on google the kind of sites to send me & there are a number I have listed such as bonsai, bonsai soil, bonsai styling, bonsai pruning, etc, anything associated with bonsai.I...
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    bonsai soil mix for tropical climate

    Rock Used In Bonsai Soil The rock in the picture looks great for bonsai. Usually turface or some other similar ingredient such as oil-dry available in the US at auto parts stores such as NAPA are used. It is composed of diatomatious earth. Turface is clay particles fired at a high temperature...
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    Pro's Choice equivilant to Turface MVP

    The oil dry is good to use as a component in bonsai soil mix. NAPA Auto Parts as well as others might sell it. Just make sure it is diatomatious earth which is what it is composed of & there are no additional additives.
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    bonsai stock

    Getting the right plant to bonsai Go to a local nursery & find a good sized plant you like. I just bought a Japanese boxwood (japonica) & styled it into a nice tree using a live oak as the style I was after. The internetbonsaiclub.com shows some by typing 'boxwood as live oak' & see what...
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    Making Soil with local items

    If you have a John Deere dealer closeby they carry turface and at a reasonable price. Go online and find formulas for bonsai soil. Sifted pine bark works well with river rock (pea gravel; I get mine reasonably from a local landscape supply that supplies mulch, etc.) It is termed"pea gravel" and...
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    "Special Kitty" cat litter -- "kitty-dama"

    What's wrong with Wal-Mart? Don't believe everything you read in the media. Remember, for the most part, they are against capitalism and anyone, company or individual, who is successful. And as for that discrimination case which was thrown out, this was largly an attempt to get on a gravy train...
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    Pro's Choice equivilant to Turface MVP

    Good product but here's another This product is probably what is available at Napa Auto Parts as "oil dry" which is 100% diatomatious earth. It works well in bonsai soil since it is fired and wont easily break down.
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    Soil/fertilizer questions

    One thing I have found helpful in hard soils, especially clay soils, is gypsum which is available at hardware stores,stores like Lowes, Home Depot, etc. By spreading and tilling this into the ground it will loosen soil and make it more drainable. It is not harmful to anything planted and is an...
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    What if you can't get Turface?

    Have you tried diatomite in place of turface? Diatomite or diatomatious earth can be bought at Napa Auto Parts stores, I believe it is part # 8822, and many people use it. I use it as component with crushed granite, another product available at feed stores to facilitate drainage, and turface...
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