bonsai soil mix for tropical climate

[thailand-steve]

i was reading this http://kuromatsubonsai.com/bonsai-soil/ and so now i understand how your local climate is a big factor in choosing the right soil for your bonsai

i'm in south Thailand, very tropical rain forest, never drops below 28degC, but we do have a dry season and its hot, average 32-35degC days. i guess we are similar to south Florida in the summer or Hawaii but maybe a bit warmer. so it looks like i may need about 30-40% organic in the mix for my ficus. does that sound ok?

also, since i have no access to fancy stuff like lava rock, pumice, etc, i plan on using crushed granite like this (used for sand wash cement surfacing). i can buy it in several different sizes and colors.

does this look ok (it seems to have some sharp edges) or should i think about cat litter?

thanks

 

[pgstroud@aol.com]

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 & used on athletic fields for drainage to prevent puddling. I consider both items to be somewhat interchangeable & enhance drainage but also absorb some moisture. If there are any bonsai clubs in your area ask them for the best ratio of organic to inorganic components. I use sifted pine bark which leaves flakes of pine bark about 1/4" as half of my basic soil & a 50/50 mix of turface & rock for the balance.I am in the southern part of the US so use that for some degree of comparison to your area. For a fast draining mix recommended for some trees I cut the bark to about 25% to 30% with the balance 50/50 turface & rock. The rock you show looks great but be careful about cat litter. Some people use it but be sure it contains no odor control elements sometimes found in cat litter & test it by putting a little in a container of water, letting it sit for some time & see if it is still similar to when it was before testing it in the water. If it is turning to 'mush' it is disintegrating & shouldn't be used. So this is just some of the things to consider but good drainage is the most important factor There are many articles on the components used in bonsai soil that can be found on the internet so I suggest you consult these. If your area is similar to Florida you might contact Weichert's nursery in Florida & ask for advice.

 

[thailand-steve]

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 & used on athletic fields for drainage to prevent puddling. I consider both items to be somewhat interchangeable & enhance drainage but also absorb some moisture. If there are any bonsai clubs in your area ask them for the best ratio of organic to inorganic components. I use sifted pine bark which leaves flakes of pine bark about 1/4" as half of my basic soil & a 50/50 mix of turface & rock for the balance.I am in the southern part of the US so use that for some degree of comparison to your area. For a fast draining mix recommended for some trees I cut the bark to about 25% to 30% with the balance 50/50 turface & rock. The rock you show looks great but be careful about cat litter. Some people use it but be sure it contains no odor control elements sometimes found in cat litter & test it by putting a little in a container of water, letting it sit for some time & see if it is still similar to when it was before testing it in the water. If it is turning to 'mush' it is disintegrating & shouldn't be used. So this is just some of the things to consider but good drainage is the most important factor There are many articles on the components used in bonsai soil that can be found on the internet so I suggest you consult these. If your area is similar to Florida you might contact Weichert's nursery in Florida & ask for advice.

thanks, if you think that rock looks good i'll forget about the cat litter idea, i suspect everything here is perfumed and lots of chemical additives. i'll look in some car service places, see what they use to clean up oil spills. we don't have any bonsai clubs around here, i wish we did. maybe they do in Bangkok, i'll get the wife to ask around.

we don't have pines but we do have a lot of coconut bark which i could chop up in a blender and sieve i guess

it sounds like i don't want to use composted organics right? our potting soil is mostly composted coconut waste. do you think i should avoid that?


thanks

 

[coppice]

Use the rock. Cat litter melts into anoxic goo that rots roots.

 

[wireme]

Partially composted coconut bark may work very well for you. If you sift the fines out of your potting soil would you still have any chunky stuff left over? 1/8-1/4" size?

 

[A Random User]

Found this, it might be of help to you...
good luck.


http://bonsai.pantown.com/

Here it is translated into english...

http://translate.google.com/transla...ch?q=bonsai+club+in+thailand&biw=1366&bih=596

 

[thailand-steve]

Partially composted coconut bark may work very well for you. If you sift the fines out of your potting soil would you still have any chunky stuff left over? 1/8-1/4" size?

i don't think so but i noticed some big pine like trees at the beach the other day and lots of bark on the ground so i will collect some and chop it up

thanks for that link to the thai bonsai forum, my wife will join up

 

[Anthony]

Steve,

it depends on your humidity. High all year round humidity, and you can use less composted material. I just make own out of stuff around the yard, avocado, bamboo, trees, weeds, and kitchen scraps, sometimes sawdust.

About 1/3 or less of compost to inorganic material is a good starting point.

You need a freely draining soil mix, that lasts until the day you re-pot.

On my side the builder's gravel is silica based and about this size - [ ]

I don't need to sift my compost, through a sieve at this size of hole [ ]
I have never had a problem with the fines in compost, as the trees know what to do

Test your ideas on expendable trees, not your pre-bonsai.

If you have a pronounced dry season and it occurs as ours does around Christmas, most of the trees would be dormant. I found that it was best to repot then and then let the trees grow into the material as the dry season comes on. It is easier to water and fertilise. When the rains restart the trees can handle the extra water easily.
Good Day.
Anthony