need soil for four trees

[maverickheath]

Hi guys I have four trees I'll be reporting soon and need help picking soil I'd like pre mixed really to help a bit the first is an Chinese elm the second is a ficus third is a witch hazel and finally the last one is a
Sageretia can you recommend what soil and if possible where online I can get it

 

[HAMMER-SCHLAGEN]

I am new to this but I have used soil from Eastern leaf, they make nice looking pre mix soil. I used the organic blend and the Akadama/lava rock mix. The organic mix doesn't seem to drain well, maybe I should have sifted/mixed it up out of the bag?? The Akadama/lava mix looks nice and drains very well but the particle size are very small so I guess you wouldn't use it for a larger tree.
I got my first Japanese maple and slip potted it to a bigger pot and used the Akadama/lava mix at the bottom around the drain holes and it drains nicely.

 

[Eric Group]

These are bonsai, "pre-bonsai", seedlings...?

If you want premixed Bonsai soil, Clay King seems like the "catch all" recommendation for premixed bonsai soil. Not terribly easy to find. I remember a couple months ago Jonas at Bonsai a Tonight had some I think he was selling
http://bonsaitonight.com/?s=Clay+king


If you are dealing with younger trees you just want to grow out in pots (those easily offended by organic soil recommendations, please stop reading here) get a bag of Miracle Grow potting soil. Seriously... If you have a bunch of trees and want to save a bit, maybe gptry to find a bake of Pro Mix instead.

I mix all my own soils at this point. "Potting soil" for pre bonsai and Bonsai mixes...

 

[HAMMER-SCHLAGEN]

These are bonsai, "pre-bonsai", seedlings...?

If you want premixed Bonsai soil, Clay King seems like the "catch all" recommendation for premixed bonsai soil. Not terribly easy to find. I remember a couple months ago Jonas at Bonsai a Tonight had some I think he was selling
http://bonsaitonight.com/?s=Clay+king


If you are dealing with younger trees you just want to grow out in pots (those easily offended by organic soil recommendations, please stop reading here) get a bag of Miracle Grow potting soil. Seriously... If you have a bunch of trees and want to save a bit, maybe gptry to find a bake of Pro Mix instead.

I mix all my own soils at this point. "Potting soil" for pre bonsai and Bonsai mixes...

Mixing soil seems like so much work. I understand material selection isn't huge but what do you use? I have tried to find soil materials but live in the booneys and don't have many options...

 

[JoeR]

These are bonsai, "pre-bonsai", seedlings...?

If you want premixed Bonsai soil, Clay King seems like the "catch all" recommendation for premixed bonsai soil. Not terribly easy to find. I remember a couple months ago Jonas at Bonsai a Tonight had some I think he was selling
http://bonsaitonight.com/?s=Clay+king


If you are dealing with younger trees you just want to grow out in pots (those easily offended by organic soil recommendations, please stop reading here) get a bag of Miracle Grow potting soil. Seriously... If you have a bunch of trees and want to save a bit, maybe gptry to find a bake of Pro Mix instead.

I mix all my own soils at this point. "Potting soil" for pre bonsai and Bonsai mixes...

Actually instead of plain potting soil I would do soil conditioner mixed with some perlite.... Almost as cheap, drains faster.

 

[JoeR]

Soil conditioner is less than potting soil here and is coarser. $3 for a large bag.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Whatever you do, DO NOT repot while they're indoors, except for the Ficus, which tolerates being indoors.

 

[Adair M]

I am new to this but I have used soil from Eastern leaf, they make nice looking pre mix soil. I used the organic blend and the Akadama/lava rock mix. The organic mix doesn't seem to drain well, maybe I should have sifted/mixed it up out of the bag?? The Akadama/lava mix looks nice and drains very well but the particle size are very small so I guess you wouldn't use it for a larger tree.
I got my first Japanese maple and slip potted it to a bigger pot and used the Akadama/lava mix at the bottom around the drain holes and it drains nicely.

Hammer,

I've got bad news for you... Sit down. Take a deep breath... Ok, ready?

Slip potting a plant that is currently growing in tradional potting mix to an inorganic, open bonsai potting mix is about the worst mistake you can make!

First off, if you truely "slip potted" that means you literally pulled the intact rootball, placed it into a larger pot with a layer of new bonsai soil, then added more soil around the sides. Right?

Well, that's bad. Here's why: the old rootball is probably pretty dense. The new fresh soil is open. Which means there a lot of air. It's such a radical change that the roots won't grow into it. They think there's "air" there, not good growing medium. So they don't grow into it.

When you water, water runs right thru the new soil, and out the bottom because there's no roots to slow it down. Meanwhile, the roots have dried out the old root balls. When you water, water will find its easier to run to the sides of the pot then down and out rather than absorbing into the old root ball. So, it continues to dry out. So your tree can die of thirst. Even though you're watering

So, to start using an inorganic mix, you have to tease out little feeder roots all around the outsides of the root ball. Make it look fuzzy. Except the bottom. Trim the rootball flat with scissors.

Now, when you place the tree in the pot, those fuzzy roots will already be in the new soil. They don't have to "decide" to grow into it, they're IN it!

This mistake is common. And when the tree dies, they blame the open mix. Never realizing how to properly prepare a root ball for replanting

 

[Potawatomi13]

I'll be reporting soon

What will you be reporting them for doing?

 

[Anthony]

Save for the Witch Hazel.

on my side all grow very well in a simple mix of 5 mm gravel, 5 mm crushed red brick and sifted compost.
At a 1 to 1 to 1 ratio. You can always use less organic.

Normally even with full growth and long extensions, a Chinese elm and a Sageretia t. are repotted every
two years.

Repot in late spring.
Track record - 1980 / 81 to now. Same soil mix.

As usual you should have 3 of each to try and understand what you are growing.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[TomB]

OP is in England, so most of the soil recommendations - while well meant - aren't going to be practical.
An easy solution that should work for you is http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/premium-bonsai-compost-no2-new-improved-formula

The advice on repotting is worth noting though.

 

[sorce]

Hoist up the TomB sail!

Amen!

Also....if the are going to stay inside, I wouldn't use potting soil.

Sorce

 

[Anthony]

TomB,

try it like this -

1 Porous Inorganic [ 5 mm crushed red brick ]
1 Non Porous organic [ 5 mm builder's gravel ]
1 or less Organic [ compost is universal ]

By volume - adjust for personal watering, sunshine, wind and anything else.

Good Day
Anthony

*AND apologies for not using a more universal naming.

 

[maverickheath]

OP is in England, so most of the soil recommendations - while well meant - aren't going to be practical.
An easy solution that should work for you is http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/premium-bonsai-compost-no2-new-improved-formula

The advice on repotting is worth noting though.

That looks fine for all but the witch hazel now just need a slightly acidic soil

What will you be reporting them for doing?

The elm is in really bad soil it come in when I got it and the Sageretia is extremely pot bound it has fine roots growing out of the soil same with the ficus

Hoist up the TomB sail!

Amen!

Also....if the are going to stay inside, I wouldn't use potting soil.

Sorce

Be back outside next month but for the ficus and Sageretia they can wait till summer

Is this good stuff and is it a complete mix
http://www.yorkbonsai.co.uk/kanuma-bonsai-soil-2-litres-i79.html

 

[TomB]

witch hazel now just need a slightly acidic soil

Then you could just add a handful of kanuma to the mix, or some moler clay (which is also on the acidic side and will be in the Kaizen mix anyway).

 

[Eric Group]

Actually instead of plain potting soil I would do soil conditioner mixed with some perlite.... Almost as cheap, drains faster.

Well, I was just going with his ask for pre- mixed stuff. I don't use any of the stuff mentioned on a regular basis any more myself.

 

[JoeR]

Well, I was just going with his ask for pre- mixed stuff. I don't use any of the stuff mentioned on a regular basis any more myself.

Oh thats right, I forgot he wanted pre made stuff.

 

[Cypress187]

If you need soil for 4 tree's isn't it better to just get the ingredients and mix it yourself for each tree, otherwise you will pay too much per different mix-type (they will add some costs for mixing and packaging per bag). And you won't learn as much mix / soils compositions. I'm a dutch allways think about cost (cheaper is better)

 

[DougB]

Your best source of information is your local bonsai club. They will help you and give you good advice for your specific area. There are also several good bonsai suppliers in England, just google "bonsai in England" or something similar. Welcome and good luck.

 

[maverickheath]

OP is in England, so most of the soil recommendations - while well meant - aren't going to be practical.
An easy solution that should work for you is http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/premium-bonsai-compost-no2-new-improved-formula

The advice on repotting is worth noting though.

Thanks guys Iv oreded 7 litre and 2 litre of kamuna

If you need soil for 4 tree's isn't it better to just get the ingredients and mix it yourself for each tree, otherwise you will pay too much per different mix-type (they will add some costs for mixing and packaging per bag). And you won't learn as much mix / soils compositions. I'm a dutch allways think about cost (cheaper is better)

first time reporting so just makingi t as easy as possible