Cheap Bonsai Soil Mix?

[Johnathan]

also..despite my post above, I’ve had a bunch of conifers in pure 8822 for awhile now that have always been extremely healthy.

ride the rails!!!
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Word! My Shimpaku seem to really like 100% DE, the few pines I've killed did not. But, I suspect it to be because I just watered them daily whenever I water all the other trees more than the fact they were in 100% DE

@M. Frary is a legend as well. I utilize his blue juice routine and have always had exceptional growth without cakes or anything else.

 

[M. Frary]

his blue juice routine

Just got to watch it on certain trees for refinement.
Pines especially.
But all in all using completely inorganic components and fertilizer the health of my trees is spectacular.
Also I rarely have a pest issue.

 

[JoeH]

I use Napa floor dri or SafT Sorb from Tractor Supply, believe it or not there is a cheap o garden soil at Dollar General that has a decent amount of bark in it so i use a bit of that, and I usually pick up some pumice from Bonsai Jack on ebay and also use Orchid mix from Lowes, it has course lava rock, perlite and small bark. I just mix all that together and end up with decent mix. I have found that the Napa stuff breaks down a little quicker than saftsorb. Also you should check with local mulch/rock suppliers, my local one can now get pine fines and granite fines.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

All I’m going to add is if your going to use a oil absorbent product . There is essentially 2 kinds I’m aware of . The above mentioned. DE The other is Fullers earth sometimes sold as a product to break up clay soils read the bag it will say one or the other . DE is better but I found out the difference thinking all oil absorbent was the same Fullers earth will break down over time . About 3 years is all your getting as long as there is other products in the mix but it’s not all bad I got a bunch by accident works good for stuff that will be repotted soon like newly collected dicid trees and young trees will promote fine roots

 

[penumbra]

Fullers earth will break down over time . About 3 years is all your getting as long as there is other products in the mix but it’s not all bad I got a bunch by accident works good for stuff that will be repotted soon like newly collected dicid trees and young trees will promote fine roots

Works great in pond baskets for growing on.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Works great in pond baskets for growing on.

I should have added I think it’s a more Natural mined product . So I think there is more variation in what you get I had some a few years ago that seemed to last longer . The latest batch was after covid started . . Several trees all 30 or 40 percent fullers earth and crushed granite pine bark shallow. Potted trees had good root growth but draining was slowed down deeper potted stuff had practically lost percolating all needed carefull attention to not over water at end of summer third year probable should have repotted the previous spring . But all had good root growth . My collected thuja seemed like it more than I would have suspected like I said it has its uses I think DE is more consistent but it has made me think trees in refinement May have something there

 

[penumbra]

I think there is more variation in what you get I had some a few years ago that seemed to last longer

Absolutely true, I have observed this as well, particularly in deep ceramic pots.