Mid Atlantic Soil Mix Suggestions

[Tenchuu]

Newbie here. I got interested in Bonsai last year, picked up a few conifers from local nursuries, and they have survived the winter. They are still in the nursery containers/dirt, and planning on doing some repotting this year. Looking for some advice on either reasonably priced premixed soils or recipes for mixing that would be good in my area. It's pretty humid around here (DC area), but in late summer my potted vegetable garden gets pretty parched daily.

 

[Johnnyd]

Newbie here. I got interested in Bonsai last year, picked up a few conifers from local nursuries, and they have survived the winter. They are still in the nursery containers/dirt, and planning on doing some repotting this year. Looking for some advice on either reasonably priced premixed soils or recipes for mixing that would be good in my area. It's pretty humid around here (DC area), but in late summer my potted vegetable garden gets pretty parched daily.

This is a highly debated subject dependent on environment, watering habits and container. Look at the soil and watering forums for past arguments a mean discussions. Click forums and scroll down.

 

[TN_Jim]

Hello, reasonably priced soil has been a huge question for me starting out. Akadama and pumice are just not viable options for my area without dropping some serious coinage on shipping. This thread (below) has been immensely beneficial for me on many levels. Hope this helps.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/napa-oil-dry-part-no-8822.20908/

 

[WNC Bonsai]

In the DC area you should have no trouble finding what you need. Consider pumice, lava rock, and composted hardwood bark. You can get the bark at Lowes, look for Nature’s helper. Sift it using screen material keeping the 1/8-1/4” size. The pumice can be found at large nurseries or hydroponics stores. Again sift to size. Same with lava rock. If you can’t find lava look for heat expanded slate or shale (I use Permatil also sold as Voleblock—something that is porus but won’t break down over time. Mixes for your area would be on the order of 10% orgainc, 45% pumice, 45% lava rock. Add more organic for more moisture retention. I lived in The DC area abiut 50 years then moved here 8 years ago. Do your reading, search this froum for material, and join a bonsai club up there.

 

[Tenchuu]

Cofga, thanks for the specific advice. I've been trying this hobby with a newborn in the house, so my best intentions of making it to a monthly bonsai club meeting always end up just that. Hoping to meet up with the club in May. When I got my first tree, it was at an event with a group from the baltimore club, and I think they said the soil was a mix of Chicken Grit, Pumice, Turface, and pine fines. But, no idea if I remembered that right, and no idea on the ratios,.

TN_Jim, thanks for the link. What did you end up using?

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Cofga, thanks for the specific advice. I've been trying this hobby with a newborn in the house, so my best intentions of making it to a monthly bonsai club meeting always end up just that. Hoping to meet up with the club in May. When I got my first tree, it was at an event with a group from the baltimore club, and I think they said the soil was a mix of Chicken Grit, Pumice, Turface, and pine fines. But, no idea if I remembered that right, and no idea on the ratios,.

TN_Jim, thanks for the link. What did you end up using?

Chicken grit is usually ground up granite. It does nothing but fill space and add weight to the pot. In the DC area it might also be ground up oyster shells which is not good so check before you buy. Turface is high fired clay and comes in two formulations, one is fine grained and the other is coarser. If you use it go with MVP. Pine fines are just composted pine bark and comparable to hardwood bark in providing moisture retention and CEC.

The Western North Carolina arboretum uses a mix of 25% hardwood, 25% peat, and 50% Permatil for their bonsai collection. They toss in a little ground limestone to counter the acidity of the peat and hardwood, and alter the ratios a little for confiers. That gives them a lot more moisture retention which I guess is the way they manage watering the display trees. Personally I prefer the smaller organic content to keep me from drowning the trees and I add pumic since it is more porus than the Permatil. Permatil is produced locally in central North Carolina and is a heat expanded slate. It has some porosity and is stable over time. It is sold in large and small bags in nurseries as a soil ammemdment to increas e drainage and keep voles from eating plants.

When you get time head out to the National Arboretum to see the national bonsai collection, that will inspire you a little bit.

 

[TN_Jim]

Cofga, thanks for the specific advice. I've been trying this hobby with a newborn in the house, so my best intentions of making it to a monthly bonsai club meeting always end up just that. Hoping to meet up with the club in May. When I got my first tree, it was at an event with a group from the baltimore club, and I think they said the soil was a mix of Chicken Grit, Pumice, Turface, and pine fines. But, no idea if I remembered that right, and no idea on the ratios,.

TN_Jim, thanks for the link. What did you end up using?

Up to 100% napa 8822 for most newly collected trees (all healthy a. f.) , sledge hammer crushed lava from lowes, and soil conditioner (pine bark -this stuff sifts great for me(photo)) —have not been exceeding 1/3 pine in mixes..everything sifted for fines...blazin tn summertime will tell what’s true to ideal on ratios.