Beech bonsai soil

[b3bowen]

Hopefully I can start this thread without causing a war. I picked up my first beech (fagus sylvatica) at the winter silhouette show. I am in Greensboro NC, zone 7. The tree was in a 1 gallon pot (tree was planted in grow bed for winter) is about 13 inches tall with about 1/2-3/4 inch trunk. Though small, the branches are well ramified. In spring I will pot into a larger grow box (approx 1.6 gallons by volume and 4 inches deep).

I would like the tree to remain in new container for two seasons. I have spent alot of time on here and online trying to figure out the best medium and particle size to grow it in. I have learned that they like organics, moisture, possibly kanuma, and lower pH.

Soil components I have readily available:

3-5 mm:
Pine bark, turface, pumice,DE,lava

5-8 mm:
Pine bark, bonsai block (calcined clay), pumice,lava

So for those of you growing beech....

My initial plan was to use 1/4 inch (5-8mm) particles since container is large/deep. But was not sure if i should go with smaller particles to increase moisture retention.

Make up would be 30% bark, 30% pumice, 20% calcined clay, 20% lava. I would top dress with smaller but >3 mm particles.

I could order kanuma if opinions were strong that it would be significantly beneficial.

I would apppreciate any opinions.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Don’t know if this applies but my american beech and carolina horbeam are in a mix of 4 pts pumice, 3 pts hadite, 2 pts bark. I sift all materials to 1/8”-1/4” size fraction and water once daily until it flows freely out the bottom. I keep these in part shade and they have done well. I am up in the mountains where it stays cooler in the summer—we only hit 90 for about a week last year. My daughter lives in Mebane and I avoid visiting in summer it gets so hot and humid out there so you probably do need more orgainc in your mix.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Here (Belgium) i use akadama and pumice, as i do with most trees. I've not a lot of experience with other mixtures.

 

[b3bowen]

Thanks @Cofga, should have mentioned average July high here is around 90 degrees.

 

[JudyB]

I have experienced better leaf health using kanuma with beeches.

 

[b3bowen]

Thanks @JudyB, are you using medium grain at 100% or as a component of a mix?

 

[JudyB]

100%, topped with a small layer of Akadama just for coloration

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm moving away from akadama after next year. My extra hard akadama has turned into solid clay within 365 days.
I'm switching to a commercial mix of inorganics that should last longer.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

If the water you are using to irrigate your trees is less than 300 ppm total alkalinity as calcium carbonate, or if your water is less than 400 ppm total dissolved solids, you can use pretty much any old mix. If your irrigation water is hard water, more calcium carbonate that above, you need to specifically force the pH of your media to the more acidic. In which case, increase the bark content. Eliminate the calcined clay products, substituting bark instead. Possibly include Kanuma. If the plans were to allow frequent repotting, yearly or at most every other year, you could include sifted Canadian peat moss. Preferably not the milled peat, but the more difficult, harder to find unmilled, or not completely cleaned peat moss. use only particles larger than 1/8th inch. About 10% peat would also help lower pH. Peat is not a long lived potting media, especially in hard water, it will require yearly repotting because the peat will decompose and block air voids. Except for growing strict calcifuges, like blueberry or carnivorous plants, normally I would not include peat unless you had a serious total alkalinity issue with hard water.

Potting mix MUST be designed to be compatible with your irrigation water.

Personally, I would not use calcined clay or Turface in my mix, just increase the amount of pumice instead, regardless of my source of irrigation water, but that is my preference, don't need to wade back into ''Soil Wars"

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Note #1 - I did not mention pH, the issue of pH is largely trivial, nothing to worry about. Some make the mistake of thinking pH is an indication of the real issue, Total Alkalinity, normal expressed as ppm calcium carbonate, or milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate. In truth pH tells you nothing about Total Alkalinity. Total dissolved solids in the majority of common situations, is a moderately good estimate of total alkalinity. For regions where the well water is coming from a limestone layer, or from glacial till or glacial loess, total alkalinity will be about 75% of total dissolved solids. If your well water is coming from a more exotic geographic layer, Total dissolved solids becomes a meaningless number as far as estimation of total alkalinity. In which case the value can be determined by any water testing lab. Last time I had it done at a private lab the fee was $20.

Total Alkalinity is a measure of the buffer capacity of the water. The lower the total alkalinity the less metabolic energy a plant has to put into buffering the water film around the root tip into the ideal pH range for optimal nutrient absorption. High total alkalinity water can overpower the plant's capacity to modify its root zone environment into the ideal range and can cause the plant to fail to thrive.

Note # 2 - pelletized elemental sulfur is a common soil amendment to help compensate for high total alkalinity. Available at any well stock garden supply store for ''acidifying soils''. You may also encounter powdered sulfur for use as a dormant spray as an antifungal treatment.

Pelletized sulfur I use 15 ml by volume (it is a dry product), per 3.5 liters of potting media. Or one tablespoon per gallon of potting media. A nursery gallon container. Top dress once per year.

Powdered sulfur is a much finer grind. It dissolves more quickly. I would top dress with 5 ml per 3.5 liters or 1 teaspoon per gallon, 3 times per year. End of the year the total dose is roughly the same as the pelletized sulfur.

Hope this all helps make sense.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

If pH is an issue just periodically use Miracid instead of your usual fertilizer. It is designed for use with Azaleas and other acidophilic plants. The downside to it is the makeup: 30-10-10! However there are other ways to bring the pH down, Epsoma soil acidifier has a 0-0-0 analysis and is aluminum sulfate.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

If pH is an issue just periodically use Miracid instead of your usual fertilizer. It is designed for use with Azaleas and other acidophilic plants. The downside to it is the makeup: 30-10-10! However there are other ways to bring the pH down, Epsoma soil acidifier has a 0-0-0 analysis and is aluminum sulfate.

Yes, using Miracid 30-10-10 regularly, at moderate doses is acceptable to counteract high total alkalinity. There is nothing wrong with it except the P and the K are on the high side. I don't remember the exact issue, but I had been told that elemental Sulfur, is preferable to Aluminum sulfate, but I don't remember why. I think elemental sulfur is more effective by weight. If it works for you, I guess no problem.

Beech and Satsuki azalea essentially like roughly the same type of potting media. Mildly acidic. If your azalea do well, your beech should do well. If your azalea are not happy, your beech, and possibly maples and hornbeam will not be happy. Beech, maple and hornbeam are all a little more tolerant of higher alkalinity than azalea, but all 3 would be perfectly happy in azalea mix for bonsai. Beech, maple and hornbeam would NOT like the all peat stuff used for commercial potted azaleas used for the flowering potted plant trade.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Yes, using Miracid 30-10-10 regularly, at moderate doses is acceptable to counteract high total alkalinity. There is nothing wrong with it except the P and the K are on the high side. I don't remember the exact issue, but I had been told that elemental Sulfur, is preferable to Aluminum sulfate, but I don't remember why. I think elemental sulfur is more effective by weight. If it works for you, I guess no problem.

Beech and Satsuki azalea essentially like roughly the same type of potting media. Mildly acidic. If your azalea do well, your beech should do well. If your azalea are not happy, your beech, and possibly maples and hornbeam will not be happy. Beech, maple and hornbeam are all a little more tolerant of higher alkalinity than azalea, but all 3 would be perfectly happy in azalea mix for bonsai. Beech, maple and hornbeam would NOT like the all peat stuff used for commercial potted azaleas used for the flowering potted plant trade.

I think the issue with aluminum sulfate is potential aluminum toxicity. Ironite is another one but it is a mining waste byproduct and reportedly can have arsenic in it. Epsoma makes a soild acidifier that is elemental sulfur and gypsum (calcium sulfate) with a bentonite clay binder. Since it is a granular product it really needs to be incorporated into the soil mix early on. A water soluble product like MirAcid makes application easier.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Calcium sulfate is a bad choice, as the calcium contributes to total alkalinity. Azalea and beech dislike excess calcium. Elemental sulfur is cheap, easy to get, sold same place as calcium sulfate, most full line garden centers. Also farm feed stores.

 

[Vinnie Charity]

Calcium sulfate is a bad choice, as the calcium contributes to total alkalinity. Azalea and beech dislike excess calcium. Elemental sulfur is cheap, easy to get, sold same place as calcium sulfate, most full line garden centers. Also farm feed stores.

Would Espoma HollyTone be a good fertilizer for Beeches @Leo in N E Illinois?

I have a bag of it that I use for my single piece of Azalea material so it would be great to have other uses for it.

Thanks in advance!
-Vin

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Yes, Epsoma Holly Tone would be good for all trees that like a mildly to moderately acidic soil. Azalea, Beech, Hornbeam, Camelia, Maples, Oaks, Blueberries, Holly, and many more species. The number of trees that prefer alkaline conditions is fairly short, in fact, I can't remember any off the top of my head. But certainly Beech, maple and hornbeam (Carpinus) will appreciate an acid fertilizer like Epsoma Holly Tone.