Pals_id
Sapling
Hello everyone,
I am new here and live in southeast Michigan. I have been contemplating keeping bonsai for years since I have fond memories of my grandpa keeping them (along with many other plants) as a child. At times like this in my old(er) age, I wish I would have learned a couple more things from him, but I digress. Anyway, I am getting some "starter" trees very soon. Some are currently dormant and will be kept in an unheated garage until probably early April once the spring weather really hits and some will be sent to me in a few weeks time, as they are not currently fully dormant and coming from California. The larger seedlings will be lightly pruned and repotted before placing outside in an appropriate area.
I have read a book on the subject, The Art Of Bonsai by Yuji Yoshimura and Giovanna M. Halford. It seems a little old school, but has some good tips. I am also planning on attending an upcoming meeting for a local bonsai club at the end of this month, but have some burning questions before I order potting media and plan my routine.
First off, I know the topic of soil mixes can be controversial and each person has their own way of doing things. I plan on using some organic and inorganinc materials and repot as needed. I am just looking for confirmation that I am generally on the right path. I have included things like akadama as a structural component, although it may fall under the "clay" category, but this is just a general outline. Here is how I plan on mixing the components:
Organics:
50% peat moss, 50% extra small pine bark
Structural:
Deciduous Mix:
1/3 turface, 1/3 medium decomposted granite, 1/3 medium akadama
Conifer Mix:
1/3 turface, 1/3 medium decomposted granite, 1/3 medium kanuma
I will place a layer of granite on bottom of pot. For deciduous I will use use 60% organic material and 40% structural deciduous mix. For conifer I will use 30% organic and 70% structural conifer mix. I will then top with a very thin layer of topsoil and lightly sprinkle with moss spores.
Aside from the soil mix, I would like to bring up the topic of water. I have a saltwater aquarium and have a good reverse osmosis system, which totally removes any and all impurities in the water. If I recall correctly, the TDS (total dissolved solids) meter is at about 76 from the tap and at zero coming out with no chlorine or any other impurities present. However, this water should not be used directly for living things, as it is void of any minerals and will leach them out quickly. I am thinking that I could use half tap water that has sat out for at least a day mixed with half the water from the reverse osmosis system. This would reduce the amount of dissolved solids and impurities, but also have some trace minerals still in it. I would also use straight reverse osmosis water for any foliage misting.
I know I said a lot for my first post, but does this sound like a good starting point, or could I adjust it a bit further to better suit the plants?
Thank you
I am new here and live in southeast Michigan. I have been contemplating keeping bonsai for years since I have fond memories of my grandpa keeping them (along with many other plants) as a child. At times like this in my old(er) age, I wish I would have learned a couple more things from him, but I digress. Anyway, I am getting some "starter" trees very soon. Some are currently dormant and will be kept in an unheated garage until probably early April once the spring weather really hits and some will be sent to me in a few weeks time, as they are not currently fully dormant and coming from California. The larger seedlings will be lightly pruned and repotted before placing outside in an appropriate area.
I have read a book on the subject, The Art Of Bonsai by Yuji Yoshimura and Giovanna M. Halford. It seems a little old school, but has some good tips. I am also planning on attending an upcoming meeting for a local bonsai club at the end of this month, but have some burning questions before I order potting media and plan my routine.
First off, I know the topic of soil mixes can be controversial and each person has their own way of doing things. I plan on using some organic and inorganinc materials and repot as needed. I am just looking for confirmation that I am generally on the right path. I have included things like akadama as a structural component, although it may fall under the "clay" category, but this is just a general outline. Here is how I plan on mixing the components:
Organics:
50% peat moss, 50% extra small pine bark
Structural:
Deciduous Mix:
1/3 turface, 1/3 medium decomposted granite, 1/3 medium akadama
Conifer Mix:
1/3 turface, 1/3 medium decomposted granite, 1/3 medium kanuma
I will place a layer of granite on bottom of pot. For deciduous I will use use 60% organic material and 40% structural deciduous mix. For conifer I will use 30% organic and 70% structural conifer mix. I will then top with a very thin layer of topsoil and lightly sprinkle with moss spores.
Aside from the soil mix, I would like to bring up the topic of water. I have a saltwater aquarium and have a good reverse osmosis system, which totally removes any and all impurities in the water. If I recall correctly, the TDS (total dissolved solids) meter is at about 76 from the tap and at zero coming out with no chlorine or any other impurities present. However, this water should not be used directly for living things, as it is void of any minerals and will leach them out quickly. I am thinking that I could use half tap water that has sat out for at least a day mixed with half the water from the reverse osmosis system. This would reduce the amount of dissolved solids and impurities, but also have some trace minerals still in it. I would also use straight reverse osmosis water for any foliage misting.
I know I said a lot for my first post, but does this sound like a good starting point, or could I adjust it a bit further to better suit the plants?
Thank you
Last edited:
